Outside of the Mongoose name and brand, many are unfamiliar with BMX. We’ve all seen it – perhaps if you had a PlayStation 2 and played many of the action-sport-inspired games in your room – but have we actually paid attention? Like the sport, Nigel Sylvester, who hails from Laurelton, Queens, is as unconventional as it gets when it comes to BMX. He is a professional athlete of Grenadian descent who doesn’t participate in traditional competitions or follow the BMX industry’s norms. His Caribbean parents pushed the idea of education and stability with hopes of him pursuing a career in business, law, or medicine. Instead, the man who first fell in love with bikes when he was four turned what he did for fun into a hobby into a passion; ultimately dropping out of Farmingdale State College to ride his first love and obsession into a career as an American professional BMX athlete.

Nigel is also an unexpected content creator, entrepreneur, filmmaker, fashion enthusiast, and Brand Ambassador for Mercedes-Benz and Moncler, signing his deal with the latter in 2022. His film series, ‘GO’, is super successful and features celebrity cameos with folks like DJ Khaled, J. Balvin, Steve Aoki, Rick Ross, and Victor Cruz to name a few. In 2017, he was named to Forbes Magazine’s “30 Under 30” list and featured in ESPN’s “Body Issue.” He has collaborated with Mercedes, Fendi, UGG and worked with Louis Vuitton, and walked in Colm Dillane’s KidSuper Men’s Spring 2023 Paris Fashion Week show. In addition, Nigel became the first professional BMX athlete to be signed by Jordan Brand in 2021, which only has 70 athletes on their roster globally.

We talked to fashion’s favorite BMX athlete, who authored and published his first book released in October of 2022 titled “Nigel Sylvester: GO” with Rizzoli New York, about how he takes pride in not conforming to a single way of thinking and being limitless – “doing the thing people think you cannot do and then doing it and defying the odds.”

How did you get involved in BMX professionally? Was it solely signing with Dave Mirra?

I accumulated a lot of local buzz before meeting Dave, especially in New York. When I first started appearing in BMX videos, I was 16 years old. My name was known, and a few companies were sending me free products. People began to realize that I would become the next one to go pro out of NYC. It occurs periodically; a city kid going pro, and everyone was saying, “Nigel is next.”

Dave was starting his company when I first met him, and specifically looking for a rider from New York City. He offered me my first contract, which turned me professional. Most people are unaware that there are amateur and professional BMX riders, that riders are turned pro by the companies, and that once you start getting paid, you are considered a professional BMX athlete. All of this took place a couple months after my 18th birthday.

How do you personally feel about fashion? When you were younger, did you have a strong interest in sneakers, clothing, and accessories, or did it develop slowly as you got older?

Growing up in Queens, getting dressed and staying fly was essential. It was a big deal as a kid walking into school, so I had to make sure my fit was right every time. By the time I got to high school, I would travel to the city by train in search of new sneakers and brands that no one else or I could find in my immediate neighborhood. Most people went to Green Acres Mall, Jamaica Avenue, or some outlet, which was cool, but I wanted to separate myself a bit, so I started to frequent boutiques in SoHo and lower Manhattan.

I value presentation and how I step to the world. A big fashion influence for me was my mom and brother Adrian, who were extremely fashion-conscious and had their own distinct styles. As a kid watching how they piece certain looks together and how much they cared about the details naturally rubbed off on me and is embedded in my style to this day.

What about your professional connection to the fashion industry? 

I wanted to ensure that I looked a certain way while riding as I started filming content more and more. Those videos were the primary link between my riding, fans, community, and brands. Of course, the tricks had to be perfect, but I also wanted to ensure I looked good while performing. Deion Sanders, one of my all-time favorite athletes, once said, “If you look good, you feel good, if you feel good, you play good, if you play good, they pay good.” A year after turning pro, I signed a deal with LRG. I like to look at that deal as my professional intro to the fashion industry. I started incorporating more elaborate looks and styles into my performances as I built my career and brand. Then came ‘Fashion’s Night Out’ in NYC, which led to meeting a lot of downtown NYC fashion kids and store hopping in SoHo. As I began attending fashion week in NYC, I quickly realized I could work with various fashion brands in an elevated capacity.

After that, I started receiving invitations to shows in Paris and Milan. While all this was happening, Nike began tapping me for global campaigns like Nike Tech and Nike Sportswear. Everything I just mentioned helped me plant my feet in the fashion world. It is now a significant component that opened my brand up to be approached for deals and collaborate with various brands.

I signed with Moncler in 2022 as their First Ambassador for Moncler Curators, which is incredible, and I shot two campaigns with them last year, which is still mind-blowing to me. When I think back to when I was growing up, my parents surely couldn’t afford to get me a Moncler coat, so I’m fully embracing this moment and grateful for these opportunities to represent not only myself but my family and my community alongside world-class brands.

BMX is an unconventional sport. Given that you don’t hear much about it, what, in your opinion, motivates companies like Mercedes, Moncler, Jordan, and Levi’s to collaborate with you?

The game has changed. Brands like the ones you mentioned have come to realize that they need to include a wide range of creatives and new processes to expand their portfolios and reach. In 2023, it must go beyond the conventional fashion model. My output and creative expression extend beyond BMX riding. While my bike served as a catalyst to get me from point A to B in the sport and throughout life, other components make up Nigel Sylvester’s brand. It’s not widely known, but I sit on the creative side of probably 95 percent of the projects I sign off on. I do this because I enjoy the creative process, and there’s always something to learn. Brands have come to learn and appreciate my point of view by allowing me the freedom to create. They encourage it, which I greatly appreciate.

I work closely with the various team members on all the details, from styling my fits and product development to story ideation, location scouting, filming, and editing, down to the marketing and strategic approach for the campaign rollouts. My interest in the details of these matters has contributed to my evolution and growth as an artist.

For more than a decade, you’ve been signed with Nike. So, where do you begin when thinking about a new sneaker for them?

Nothing is ever the same twice. When approaching the sneaker design process, it’s always different. Inspiration comes from many places, whether bicycling, a particular era, a film, or pieces of art I’ve seen that resonate with me. Numerous factors have influenced the shoes I’ve designed with Nike thus far. For instance, we got the idea for the Air Jordan 1 from how I distress my sneakers while riding. People gravitated towards that sneaker because it was highly authentic to my riding throughout my career. Because people have seen how I have destroyed my shoes, it was remarkable that the sneaker’s design deliberately told that story. In fact, the reception of that shoe was so insane it sold out across the world within minutes and is still highly regarded when speaking about the top Air Jordan 1 release.

The 1980s and one of my favorite films, “Paid in Full,” inspired the Air Force One, which debuted a month after the Jordan. Dapper Dan, who I drew inspiration from, had a significant impact during that time, particularly in New York. I’ve always found his ability to manipulate leather, satins, and suedes, to name a few, very fascinating.

What do you think your presence as a Black professional BMX athlete signifies?

Progress, change, self-belief, dreaming in motion, overcoming obstacles, and dismantling stigmas. When kids see Nigel Sylvester, an unconventional and unexpected Black Professional BMX Athlete working with the largest brands in the world and high-end luxury fashion houses, I want it to give them hope. I want them to ignore the stigma that action sports aren’t for the Black community. I feel it’ll create space and allow them to dream bigger and understand that no matter what unconventional route they take, they have the opportunity to create impact and achieve success.

Talk about the Nigel Sylvester Foundation and how you use your platform and resources to help others.

“Charity begins at home,” and I owe credit to my mother. She helped me learn the significance of charity and giving back. When she left Grenada and came to the United States, she made a lot of sacrifices. About a year and a half ago, I realized how important it was to start the Nigel Sylvester Foundation to use the power of cycling to help communities, especially kids in need. Once more, the bicycle unifies communities and dilutes cultural distinctions. We have been working with The Boys & Girls Club of America in New York and Los Angeles to provide and give back. We intend to build various facilities starting in Queens once we achieve our financial objectives.

Finally, what do you want people to know about your personal and professional athletic journeys?

I’m more than an athlete, and I want the world to understand that. Because there’s only a little public information or context about the BMX industry in mainstream media, people often need clarification on the community and me. I feel a responsibility to educate and inform people about who I am, and the significance of creating a blueprint in a world where none existed to achieve the things I have and will continue to do while I’m here. In addition, I am a multi-hyphenate artist who used a BMX bicycle as a vehicle. It’s authentically me; I’m on my way!

IG: @NigelSylvester