LINGUA FRANCA TEAMS UP WITH JALEN BRUNSON AND HIS FAMILY FOR NEW COLLECTION BENEFITING SECOND ROUND FOUNDATION

Launching October 20, in celebration of the New York Knicks' season opener, the collection celebrates family, hard work, and the power of giving back.

NEW YORK, Oct. 20, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Lingua Franca, the New York-based fashion brand known for its signature hand-embroidered cashmere, announces a new collaboration with NBA champion Jalen Brunson and his family, benefiting their nonprofit organization, Second Round Foundation. Launching on the opening night of the New York Knicks' season at Madison Square Garden, the collection brings together two New York stories united by a belief in hard work, community, and giving back. Each made-to-order cashmere sweater is hand-embroidered at Lingua Franca's Manhattan embroidery studio, located just blocks from Madison Square Garden, where the brand's Knicks sweaters are also available for purchase. 

The collaboration features Jalen Brunson alongside his family, including his mother Sandra, father Rick, and wife Ali, modeling pieces from the collection.

At the heart of the partnership is Jalen's mantra is "The Magic Is in the Work."

The phrase is particularly meaningful to Brunson, who entered the NBA as a second-round draft pick before becoming one of the league's most celebrated players and leading the Knicks to an NBA championship.

The collection launches October 20, 2026, and will be available online at linguafranca.nyc. Fans attending Knicks games at Madison Square Garden can also shop Lingua Franca's Knicks sweaters on-site at the arena.

"We want them to be more than what society may deem them to be," Sandra Brunson has said of the young people the foundation serves. "Whatever it is, we want them to be great at it."

The Lingua Franca x Jalen Brunson's Second Round Foundation collection features sweaters and sweatshirts inspired by the family's values and commitment to community, incorporating the brand's signature embroidery and distinctive approach to storytelling through clothing.

Ten percent of collection sales will benefit Second Round Foundation, supporting its work to help young people realize their potential.

For Lingua Franca founder Rachelle Hruska MacPherson, the partnership is both personal and a natural extension of the brand's mission.

"As a small New York brand hand-embroidering sweaters just blocks from Madison Square Garden, getting to work with Jalen and his family is a little surreal," says Hruska MacPherson. "But what makes this collaboration so special to me isn't just what Jalen has accomplished on the court. It's the family behind him, the years of dedication and support that helped him get there, and their commitment to making sure other young people have opportunity and access. I love the idea that something as simple as a sweater can help tell that story."

Founded by Jalen Brunson and his mother, Sandra Brunson, Second Round Foundation is dedicated to creating equity and access for young people who are under-resourced, underrepresented, and underestimated, to pursue their dreams.

Sandra Brunson, a former Division I volleyball player at Temple University, who went on to spend three decades working in business law, brings her own experience and dedication to the foundation's mission.

Learn more at secondroundfoundation.org.

High-resolution campaign imagery and additional information available upon request.

ABOUT LINGUA FRANCA

Founded in New York City in 2016 by Rachelle Hruska MacPherson, Lingua Franca is a fashion brand rooted in the belief that words have power.

Originally known for its hand-embroidered cashmere sweaters, the brand has grown into a ready-to-wear collection combining thoughtful design, traditional craftsmanship, and cultural storytelling. Through its collaborations and charitable initiatives, Lingua Franca uses fashion to encourage conversation, build community, and inspire people to "give a damn."

ABOUT SECOND ROUND FOUNDATION

Founded by Jalen Brunson and Sandra Brunson in 2022, Second Round Foundation's mission is to empower young people to determine their own success, regardless of background or circumstance. By planting seeds of opportunity through education, sport and community. They are committed to growing their reach, touching more lives, and creating a future where every young person has the chance to thrive.

SOURCE Lingua Franca NYC