Off The Court: Style of the WNBA is a series highlighting women in sports and their impact on the global fashion industry.
Kristine Anigwe has deep feelings about her relationship with fashion. In our offices located in Brooklyn’s Sunset Park neighborhood, the stylist, creative director, and former WNBA player tells me that style has always been an integral part of her life from a young age. She recalls attending parties that her family would host. Many of these gatherings are still etched into her memory. “My mom would style me and my siblings,” Anigwe recalls. “We would go out to these Nigerian parties and just have fun, celebrate the culture, dance, [and] eat food.” Anigwe also expressed that these events were a way for her family to uphold their community while staying rooted in their heritage.
That level of intention allowed Anigwe’s interest in fashion to develop in a natural way. Her affinity for clothes, which was passed down to her from her African heritage, is a notion that still stays with her. “We were African, that pride was there and we had that fire in us,” she mentions. She also explains that in her younger years in the 2000s, at one point she was fixated on the heeled sneakers, Heelys, so she made herself a custom pair. Anigwe mentions here that she has always had a designer mindset–she says she was inspired to create these shoes after visiting Nigeria for the first time.
Standing at 6’4”, Anigwe, originally from London and raised in Phoenix, Arizona, is arguably one of the greatest basketball players to grace Berkeley University (Anigwe was the 2016 USBWA Freshman of the Year for the California Golden Bears). She later joined the Connecticut Sun after being drafted in 2019. Kristine would later play for the Dallas Wings, the Los Angeles Sparks, and the Phoenix Mercury.
The designer’s contributions to the sport are top-tier. To some, her journey within the fashion industry could be viewed as inevitable, especially given how skilled she is at dressing herself. She has an eye for structured and functional pieces such as elevated suiting, which she credits to being born in London and her travels to Europe. The image-making she is involved with daily for WNBA stars speaks volumes. Athletes Anigwe has worked with include Olivia Nelson-Odada, who the stylist shares has a modelesque figure. She explains that to execute many looks for her clients, she often works on designs during the off-season of the WNBA.
To Anigwe, Nelson is a “futuristic Bratz doll.” This is due to the Connecticut Sun’s players’ affinity for the hue grey–she also enjoys wearing designs by Diesel and other trendy houses. This season, Nelson-Odada was spotted in pieces by Louis Vuitton, LaPointe, and items that evoke her interest in chic yet sophisticated separates: a leather two-piece set in a rich grey tone and a custom patchwork coat by celebrity designer Jeff Hamilton.
Another client, Tiffany Hayes, of the Golden State Valkyries, effortlessly showcases her love for streetwear with Anigwe’s guidance—she began working with Hayes in 2022. At this point in our conversation, Anigwe shares that many of the ensembles she pieces together for Hayes are inspired by Korean streetwear and the buzzy K-pop industry. Oversized bottoms, slouchy colorful sweaters, and button-ups make up pieces associated with Hayes. The Valkyries player also experiments with enlarged blazers and ties–these pieces, which are also at times executed by Anigwe, push the envelope in terms of gender fluidity.
Anigwe’s styling work with WNBA athletes ran in tandem with her creation of KA Originals, a lifestyle brand which was launched in 2022. While still in the W, Anigwe shares that she was unable to find clothing, including pants that fit her well. Instead of waiting for a line to be created that she could support, the designer created her eponymous line. Anigwe prides herself on designing pieces that have a minimalistic yet wearable approach, similar to the looks she pulls off for her clients. Players Skylar Diggins-Smith, Arike Ogunbowale, Azurá Stevens, and Diamond DeShields have worn KA Originals during tunnel looks. (Diggins-Smith is a previous client of Anigwe).
The enmeshment of high fashion and sport-centric attire is a through line that connects each of Anigwe’s largest talents. With KA Originals, her styling work, and her simultaneous creative direction projects, the multi-hyphenate pushes forward her innate interests within the global fashion industry at large. This convergence is a topic we discussed during our wide-ranging conversation. Anigwe expresses that she is hopeful the eyes on the W right now will lead to further brand deals for players who aren’t household names. She inquired: “Do we see a lot of different types of players in the media?”
To the designer and stylist, fashion is also a means of cultural connection that has led to major success for Anigwe. Aside from owning a factory in Turkey, she has also been able to consistently release collections from KA Originals since its launch. Both of these examples provide proof of Anigwe’s willingness to lean into her gifts while creating a name for herself in a saturated marketplace. On the realities of entrepreneurship, she shared that individuals don’t have to solely rely on creating their own businesses to be successful. Working in corporate, according to Kristine, can be equally as lucrative.
Towards the end of our conversation, Anigwe mentioned that one of her missions in her creative work with KA Originals is to affirm women and show them a path to financial freedom. This is a telling statement, especially given the immense strides the former WNBA player has made since stepping away from the league. With her dedication to her craft, Kristine has been able to showcase an empowering journey that players and fans of the sport can look to for inspiration. “There’s always a way out of the status quo,” Anigwe added.
