In an unprecedented collaboration that bridges the worlds of high fashion and professional sports, Off-White has officially become the style and culture curator of the WNBA’s New York Liberty. This marks a significant moment not only for Off-White as a brand but also for the evolving intersection of fashion and athletics, particularly within women’s sports.
The partnership brings together two influential forces: Off-White, a globally renowned fashion house known for its unique approach to streetwear and high fashion, and the New York Liberty, a prominent team in the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) based in the heart of New York City.
Table of Contents
The Fashion-Sports Nexus
Off-White has long been a brand that sits at the crossroads of sports and fashion. Its founder, Virgil Abloh, pushed the boundaries of what fashion could mean, blending athletic aesthetics with high fashion sensibilities in ways that felt both modern and transformative. Athletes, particularly in basketball, have frequently been seen in Off-White designs, whether it’s through coveted collaborations with Nike or appearances in the front rows of the brand’s runway shows in Milan, Paris, and New York.
This collaboration with the New York Liberty feels like a natural evolution of Off-White’s identity. The spring 2025 show, which took place on the basketball courts at Brooklyn Bridge Park, offered a glimpse into the brand’s future vision—one that fully integrates sports into its DNA. It’s as if the partnership with the New York Liberty was written in the stars long before the official announcement was made.
The Vision Behind the Partnership
Keia Clarke, CEO of the New York Liberty, explains the decision to partner with Off-White in a way that reflects both the culture of the city and the aspirations of the team.
“With the Liberty being based in New York—a hotbed of creativity and eccentricity where art, fashion, and sports intersect—our team has been able to differentiate itself by marrying sport with fashion in ways that transcend the basketball court,” Clarke said in an exclusive statement to Vogue.
Indeed, New York City has long been a place where cultural movements are born and thrive. From the graffiti-covered streets of the Bronx to the high-fashion runways of Manhattan, the city pulses with creativity. For the Liberty, aligning with a brand like Off-White, which also thrives on pushing boundaries and blending worlds, is a strategic move to amplify the team’s cultural presence beyond basketball.
The collaboration is more than just about what the players wear. It’s about creating a new narrative where sports and fashion become intertwined, offering fans a unique lens through which to engage with the team. For Clarke, the partnership “felt natural” as both the Liberty and Off-White aim to reach beyond their core audiences—basketball fans and fashion enthusiasts alike—to create something truly unique.
The Launch: Varsity Jackets and Beyond
The collaboration officially kicked off with a varsity jacket, which Liberty star Sabrina Ionescu gifted to her teammates after the team’s final regular season game. Designed by Off-White, the jacket is a symbolic beginning to what will be a multi-year collaboration. This moment was more than just a fashion statement; it was a celebration of team unity, style, and individuality.
The jacket will be officially unveiled to the public on September 22, 2024, just ahead of the team’s first playoff game. Fans attending select playoff games at the Barclays Center, the Liberty’s home court, will have the opportunity to pre-order and customize their own limited-edition jackets, creating a tangible connection between the team, the fans, and the brand.
This unique combination of exclusive, limited-edition fashion pieces and fan engagement is at the heart of the collaboration. Off-White and the Liberty are not just launching products—they’re cultivating a sense of community.
Clarke underscores this by stating, “Fashion fosters connection between the fans and the players, generating interest in what players are wearing, their creative self-expression, and who they are as individuals beyond the uniforms they wear on the court.”
Individuality and Self-Expression on and off the Court
The concept of self-expression is one of the driving forces behind this collaboration. The “player arrival tunnel”—the area where players walk from the locker rooms to the court—has become a critical space for showcasing individual style in professional sports. Much like the NFL’s pre-game walk-in or the NBA’s famous “tunnel walk,” where athletes use fashion to express their personalities, the WNBA is embracing this cultural moment.
Liberty players such as Sabrina Ionescu, Breanna Stewart, Jonquel Jones, and Betnijah Laney-Hamilton have all leaned into this movement. Their arrival looks are now as eagerly anticipated as their performances on the court. This sense of individuality is something that Off-White is poised to amplify. The brand’s distinct streetwear aesthetic, with its blend of high fashion and urban grit, is the perfect complement to the diverse and expressive styles of the Liberty’s players.
This partnership is a far cry from the traditional team merchandising we’ve seen in the past. No longer are players simply endorsing sports brands—they are curating their own looks, collaborating with luxury labels, and setting new standards for what it means to be both an athlete and a cultural icon.
Off-White’s First U.S. Sports Team Collaboration
This collaboration marks Off-White’s first official partnership with a U.S. sports team. While the brand has worked with athletes and dabbled in the world of sports before, this is its most significant move yet into the sports arena. For Off-White, this partnership is more than just a foray into sports; it’s an opportunity to further its mission of blurring the lines between fashion and other cultural industries.
Off-White’s presence in New York, a city that thrives on breaking norms and embracing the avant-garde, makes this collaboration even more poignant. The Liberty, as one of the WNBA’s most recognizable teams, is a fitting partner for Off-White as the brand seeks to solidify its cultural footprint in the U.S.
