New Detroit Lions cornerback Terrion Arnold arrived at the 2024 NFL draft in style with a salmon skin print suit designed by Tom Marchitelli, also known as "Gentleman's Playbook."
Marchitelli describes the look as "one of one" with special designs on the inside of the jacket, an idea that the former Alabama Crimson Tide defensive back came up with himself.
One side of the jacket has a picture of Arnold when he played youth football accompanied with a family photo. The other side includes the acronym "LANK," meaning "Let All Naysayers Know," which served as Alabama's team motto last season. His college jersey number is below the acronym in Crimson Tide colors.
Sneak peak at Terrion Arnold's suit for the #NFLDraft 👀 Electric salmon silk print custom designed by yours truly. #LANK #NFLDraft2024 @AlabamaFTBL pic.twitter.com/hYtkBOruFc
— Gentleman's Playbook (@GentsPlaybook) April 25, 2024
The first-round pick's stepmom reached out to Marchitelli last month. He met Arnold in Tampa Bay for a fitting and tried out different colors.
According to Marchitelli, the cornerback and his stepmom initially were thinking teal and aquamarine tones. However, the suit Marchitelli arrived in for the meeting changed their minds.
"So I showed up in a pink and gray abstract print jacket with like stone gray pants," he said. "[Arnold and his stepmom] were like, 'We kind of like what you have on, you know, something different' ... And I said, 'Oh, I have a newer version that no one has seen or worn' and they were all about it."
Marchitelli composed the suit in a couple weeks before taking another trip to do a fitting in New York. Arnold said that in the three weeks since Marchitelli had seen him, he gained more muscle, resulting in a slight tweak to the pants.
The suit also includes a rounded shawl lapel and silvery gray bow tie that matches the secondary color of the suit.
.@ArnoldTerrion brought it for the red carpet 😮💨
— NFL (@NFL) April 25, 2024
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Arnold's black pattern leather loafer Gucci shoes, which were initially planned to be gray, were supposed to be handled by Arnold's team. But Marchitelli received a call at 10 a.m. EST from Arnold's agent saying that they didn't make it. Marchitelli improvised by making his way to the downtown Detroit Gucci store to purchase them himself.
"I thought they looked fantastic," Marchitelli said. "In fact, when he put them on, he looked at me and smiled and was like, 'I like these better than the gray ones.' I think everything happens for a reason. And I like them better too. I like the shiny leather too, because it was, again, more formal. It's a red carpet. It's one of the biggest day[s] of his life."
The Lions selected Arnold with the No. 24 pick in the first round. Arnold, who led Alabama with five interceptions and 12 passes defended last season, oozed a confidence that Marchitelli loved, most notably when he suited him today for the draft.
"[I told him] this is a one of one. I'm not making it for anyone else," Marchitelli said. "And then he said, 'Well, I'm already a one of one.'"