The W in Designer: Flyest Fits of the Week (VIII)
For serious style points, the WNBA players introduce original twists and streetwear brands to sports-inspired outfits.
The WNBA season celebrated its epic history and current top players with a broader audience to wrap up game 15. Fans in New York witnessed the Unfinished Business premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival and an exciting retirement announcement from Sue Bird. While each WNBA player is creating their legacy, there’s a collective effort to widen the league’s multifaceted identity through style.
For the eighth installment in “The W in Designer: Flyest Fits of the Week” series, there’s a selection of players who bring an original flair to sports-inspired outfits. Coinciding with the Juneteenth holiday, several players highlighted independent Black designers like Brandon Blackwood and Off-White. As the WNBA’s fans expand to include new audiences, like Tribeca Film Festival attendees, more players are working with stylists to create those show-stopping pre-game moments. Although the summer’s hot weather can inspire casual fits, these WNBA players are still committed to looking extremely cool.
If the LA Sparks had an award for the player with the funkiest pants, it would go to Jordin Canada. This week, Canada wears white track pants with a bold red, yellow, and green detail on the sides. She also rocks a Jacquard T-Shirt from Homme + Femme with a blue and yellow text print on its neckline. To finish her fit, she wears a pair of Nike Dunk High sneakers in a “Black Varsity Maize” colorway, some layered gold chains, and a slicked-back headband.
Playing for the Las Vegas Aces, rising player Jackie Young has brought out her favorite Off-White pieces throughout the season. At a recent game, Young builds a serious outfit around her pair of white and fuchsia Odsy 1000 Colorblock Sneakers, which match the Van Gogh-like flowers on her blazer. She balances the oversized blazer with a black, twisted triangular bra and ripped grey jeans for a streetwear-inspired twist. Young’s natural swag doesn’t require flashy accessories, but she wears a thin gold chain that helps her look shine.
Washington Mystics player Alysha Clark has teamed up with stylist Kiarra Looks to create this colorful summer outfit. She wears a simple white top from ZARA that makes her printed ZARA pants the focal point of her outfit. Kiarra shares that this outfit aims to bring bold colors to Clark’s pre-game look while reflecting the on-court energy she brings to her team. Looking into the details of her outfit also reveals a mix of patterns between her pants and her Black Bandana Print Kuei Bag from New York-based designer Brandon Blackwood.
Establishing herself as a fashion powerhouse throughout this season, Isabelle Harrison has tapped stylist Adrianne Ross to create this outfit. Harrison consistently adds an athletic and sexy spin to pieces from streetwear brands, like a pair of denim from GALLERY DEPT. She also wears a triangular top, drawing the eyes towards her Jumpman-shaped pendant. To balance the angular parts of the outfit, Harrison incorporates circular pieces like the smiley face logo on her Drew House Mascot Trucker hat and a Round Telfar Circle Bag.
Celebrating Juneteenth earlier this week, New York Liberty player Michaela Onyenwere built an outfit around a powerful Black Lives Matter Hockey Jersey by MIZIZI. She pairs the black, red, and green top with leather leggings and strappy black heels. Onyenwere also adds touches of gold on the handle of her scrunched leather bag and hoop earrings. To complete her look, which fuses sports-inspired fashion with cool-girl styling, she also wears rectangular-shaped sunglasses in a simple black color.
Seattle Storm player Reshanda Gray pulls up to a game in a tough outfit where she reps the Western Conference. Her fit starts with an oversized white button-up that boasts a “WEST COAST” block print on the front, which she wears over a slim pair of bike shorts. Adding some streetwear swag into her fit, Gray wears a new pair of PLAY Comme des Garçons x Converse Red Heart & Red Sole Chuck 70 Sneakers. Gray has a slim bandana tied around her head, a gold watch, and a thin necklace for accessories.
Awak Kuier has skillfully combined low-key pieces to create a dramatic pre-game outfit. Throughout the season, Kuier tends to wear less bright colors than some of the other players in the league, but she always manages to stand out. The Dallas Wings player rocks a form-fitting black maxi dress with a high slit that shows one of her legs. Her outfit mixes the elegant piece with sporty summer accessories like her Prada Re-Nylon bucket hat and a popular pair of Nike Dunk Low sneakers in a “Black White” colorway.
Newly hired WNBA reporter Kirsten Chen writes a lifestyle & fashion column on WNBA.com throughout the season and can be reached on Twitter through @hotgothwriter. The views on this page do not necessarily reflect the views of the WNBA or its clubs.
