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- [00:02]
Jill Manoff
Want to launch a promotion, but instead you're launching another IT ticket. Does expanding into a new market feel like building a tech startup? Sounds painful. Enterprise commerce shouldn't hurt. And with Scale, it doesn't. Scale is the flexible, scalable e commerce platform built to grow enterprise brands. Pain free. Don't just take our word for it. Brands like Harrods, Manchester United and Snipes trust scale to power their business. So why are you still suffering? Visit scale.com today. That's S C A Y L E. Yes, the why is silent because you never have to ask why scale isn't performing or find the link in the podcast description.
- [00:53]
Danny Parisi
Hello and welcome back to the Glossy Podcast. I'm your host, senior fashion reporter Danny Parisi. And I'm here, our international reporter Zofia Zweglinska. Hello Zofia. How's it going?
- [01:03]
Zofia Zweglinska
Yeah, good, thank you. Lovely to be on again.
- [01:05]
Danny Parisi
Yeah, thank you for being here. This week we are going to be talking about the I'm sure many of you have seen this on social media. There's been a lot of viral videos of various Chinese manufacturers or suppliers kind of calling out Western luxury brands whose product is really just their stuff and kind of telling people if you want to avoid the tariffs, you can just buy straight from us. So we will dig into that. We're also going to talk about a class action lawsuit against Revolve revolving around influencer partnerships and kind of, sorry, I know that was a horrible joke, but revolving around influencer partnerships and specifically an allegation of having lots of influencer partnerships that are not disclosed and there are FTC rules about doing that. So we will talk about that. And then finally we're going to talk about the WNBA draft which happened this week. Again, it was a huge deal last year, I think saw the WNBA viewership through the roof. A lot of players became sort of household names. And it looks like that's happening again. We will talk about the draft and then later in the episode, stick around because our editor Jill actually spoke with WNBA stylist Brittany Hampton, who styled Paige Beckers, who was the number one pick in the draft. They talked about that. They also talk about the new generation of players coming up into the league. So that will be later in the episode. Let's start with this kind of viral wave of videos in two Chinese suppliers and factories. A lot of them are companies that work with Western luxury brands, name brands that you would recognize and they make their stuff. And there were a lot of videos that came out this week showing some of that product and kind of urging people to just buy directly from the factories because they make it for a lot less and you can avoid the markup. This is a concept, I think a lot of people, especially in luxury. I was actually, I was talking with my mom about this and she was, you know, we were saying people who buy Birkin bags know that it's basically the same. I think, I think they know that it's basically the same as another bag. And that the fact that it's Hermes and the fact that it's Birkin adds a lot of money. Like, I don't think anyone who is spending tens of thousands of dollars on stuff is totally shocked by that fact. They know that the name brand is part of the value. But I do think it like is a stark contrast sometimes to have it kind of laid out for you. I was just saying that I have not actually seen a ton of these videos. I've read about them and heard about them. Zofia, what's been your take kind of looking at them and what do you think's driving it?
- [03:28]
Zofia Zweglinska
Yeah, I mean, so the first few videos that I saw were in Chinese and just basically promoting the products that these factories are making, saying that obviously you can get these for a significant amount less. As you said, naming well known brands, talking about these products are something that we produce. And then I think within a day or two those became very high level kind of productions with multiple clips saying why and specifically talking about the quality of the products, how it's equal or sometimes better than some of the products that you're ordering from these brands directly. As well as the fact that most of these videos are in English. There was also one particularly interesting video which I saw was in Spanish with a trumpax accent, which I thought was very on the nose. I think with all of these TikTok videos and you know, these companies looking at selling directly rather than selling through brands. It again kind of points to the rise of, you know, counterfeits, which I think is something that fashion's been dealing with already. Like the kind of sellers that you get on TikTok and Timu and she and you know, alleging that there's this product that looks exactly like a name brand product and you can get it for a lot less. I think we saw that again with the Walmart Hermes bag as well that was doing the rounds in January. I think this is just a way for Chinese sellers again to connect directly with customers. And the most important factual difference is that they have actually changed a lot of their order requirements from these factories. So you can now order single as opposed to bulk orders, which is what a lot of these brands would be doing. And in terms of the accuracy of these claims, I've actually heard both sides. There are some people I know that I've spoken to have said that there's definitely some truth in terms of both luxury brands and mass brands using some of these Chinese manufacturers to essentially produce most of their product and then have it shipped back to Europe where it's stamped with a made in Europe kind of label as well as final kind of branding details, maybe something around the kind of leather finishes, etc. And then on the other side, there's also the kind of counterfeit issue where both brands, as you mentioned, Lululemon and Nike, have both come out and said that it's either counterfeit or unauthorized. And I'd like to kind of specify the unauthorized section because I think it means that it might be something that they're working with, but they haven't authorized it as their product.
- [06:10]
Danny Parisi
Yeah, and I do think that a lot of these factories have pretty strict contracts and contractual obligations with brands to not sell. You know, if you're making a bag for an a European luxury brand, I'm pretty sure a lot of those brands have contracts where it's like you can't sell the same bag to someone else without our name put on it. Or you definitely can't like sell it out the back door to Aliexpress or something like kind of shady like that. But I'm sure stuff like that does happen all the time. I think obviously this is in response to the ongoing trade war between the US and China. That's like pretty clear, I think. I think China currently is. There's 145% tariff rate on goods imported into the US from China. I remember a couple of weeks ago there was some talk about brands like trying to import things like make them in China, but then send them somewhere else first and then send it from that country to the US like maybe from a country with a lower tariff rate. But I'm forgetting, do you know, is it country of origin or just like the country that it's immediately coming from that determines the tariff?
- [07:18]
Zofia Zweglinska
Yes, it's the country where it's immediately coming from and essentially where the bulk of the goods is coming from. So yes, there has been a bigger shift, you know, not just in the last couple of months, but over the last couple of years of, you know, de risking supply chains by focusing on a diversified kind of manufacturing base. So people are Basically bringing in from multiple countries. Mainly before it was Vietnam, Bangladesh as well as others. And obviously Vietnam's also been hit by very high tariff rates. So a lot of brands are affected on both sides. Just remembered what that terminology was for those Chinese manufacturers or other manufacturers where they don't own the brand or product. It's called OEM or original equipment manufacturer.
- [08:03]
Danny Parisi
Yes, that's like the official, I think they use that term in like electronics too, where it's like this is, you know, it's not made by Apple or whatever. But it is the oem. It is like the official manufacturer that Apple does work with. Things like that. I wonder how the trade war and this whole kind of situation we're talking about will affect companies like Italic or Quints who's like their entire premise is that you're buying directly from the factory that makes luxury products for big luxury brands, but you're buying straight from them. So there's no markup or there's less of a markup because that's kind of been their whole pitch for years now. And I feel like this would be kind of. They'd be positioned very well to kind of take advantage of that. I did a quick check right before the recording of both companies websites and I didn't see anything particularly specific to like tariffs or avoiding tariffs or anything like that. But it's possible they have talked about it elsewhere. I might actually reach out to them after this and see how it's affecting them. But that was like immediately who I thought of. If you've got fact factories pitching people, you should just buy directly from us. Well, like there's already at least two fairly big marketplaces in the US that do exactly that. They'll let you buy luxury quality products straight from the factory. So my guess would be it's a good situation for them.
- [09:17]
Zofia Zweglinska
Yeah, definitely. I think that, you know, a lot of those companies that kind of like cutting out the middleman has been more popular just because of people looking for price kind of differentiators that would let them buy things for a lot cheaper. I think the other thing is that obviously with a lot of these kind of original manufacturers, sometimes they'll also be using kind of leftover or older contracts. So it's also an opportunity for them to kind of get in on it, even if it's a product they're not currently producing. They could also use it to sell past products or things from past contracts that they've had. So yeah, I think it's really interesting that it's coming around about now. Especially like considering the reliance of American customers on those kind of manufacturing kind of websites or third party sellers from China, either through Temu or Shein or Amazon as well with the Chinese kind of manufacturers. I spoke to a couple of analysts, namely Luke Salka and I think Gia Valentini, and they both said that most likely these kind of things are fakes. However, because of that, they're looking at companies that basically own their own manufacturing. So places like Hermes, for example, are going to be much better positioned than those where brands that don't own their own manufacturing and as a result will most likely come under this kind of scrutiny.
- [10:48]
Danny Parisi
Yeah, so I want to talk about this Revolve class action lawsuit. There was a lawsuit filed this week by a woman named Lygia Negrineau alleging that there is a sweeping issue at Revolve involving paying tens of millions of dollars and also giving, you know, millions in gifts and product to influencers for paid partnerships and then not disclosing those partnerships. Probably a lot of people listening to this are aware of this. But just to be clear there, if you are paid to post something by a brand, you do have to disclose that there are ftc. The FTC has ruled on this. You have to put ad in the caption or better Instagram has a like paid promotion label that you can add to your posts. Like there are a lot of tools and you do have to do it. That's not. There's. It's very established at this point. The lawsuit alleges that Revolve has not been doing that. And it also named some specific influencers. Cindy Mello and Tiga Camaj are two names that came up who allegedly received money or product from Revolve and posted about it and didn't say that it was official. I have seen some of these posts and it's definitely murky. It's like, you know, one of them wearing a Revolve outfit and saying new Revolve just dropped or whatever. Or like going out and then just tagging Revolve. But it doesn't say ad or sponsor or anything like that. Definitely a little bit kind of shady. I could say more, but I'll stop there. I mean, what's your take on this, Sophie? I feel like this is not an uncommon thing that happens.
- [12:12]
Zofia Zweglinska
Yeah, no, it isn't. And you know, among fashion brands, like a lot of brands have already been, you know, under the gun for. From the FTC around this. I think specifically, specifically you had Fashion Nova. I think you had. Who was it? Lord and Taylor in 2016 who are already kind of done in for these kinds of issues. And what's weird is that with Revolve, and this is outlined in the suit, they've already had a kind of raised complaint in January. So they were already aware of this earlier this year, and yet they didn't address it. And then now this class action has come to light, which I feel like, you know, if you already knew it was an issue in January, why didn't you address it then?
- [12:55]
Danny Parisi
Yeah. And they've talked about their influencer network, Revolve has, and one of the things they've said in their statements about it, because they have a big influencer network and they've bragged about how it's really effective for them. And one of the things they say is that it's very cost effective and it's because they will often send product instead of paying people specifically or have these kind of looser sort of relationships. And I feel like that makes the edges around what is a paid and not paid sponsorship or gifting kind of thing, like, very murky, like very blurry. If you just get, you know, if Revolve just sends you a dress and they hope that you put it on, is that really a sponsorship or like. But it versus if you get a contract and they're like, we will send you address and you will post event and you both sign it and everything. Like, that's different. But I kind of feel like this must be those edge cases that are very hard to say to me, I feel like are incredibly common. I mean, I feel like I've heard from influencers who are like, I have not bought a new piece of clothing in forever because I just keep getting free stuff. And I understand if you're not signing a contract, it's a little bit different. It's not a paid sponsorship, but it does feel a little bit shady if you don't disclose that I got this for free or I have a close relationship with this brand and I'm just posting about it and it's not like a fully natural, organic thing.
- [14:20]
Zofia Zweglinska
Yeah, definitely. And the onus, I guess, on responsibility goes both towards the brand and the influencers here because both parties should be accountable. But obviously the bigger kind of part of it lies with Revolve. And the weird thing is they actually mentioned this in one of their annual reports in 2023 that they said that they acknowledged the legal risks of influencer marketing, saying that in some cases the FTC has sought enforcement action where an endorsement has failed to clearly and conspicuously disclose a financial relationship or material connection between an influencer and the advertiser. So it's like if you're including it in your official communications, why are you doing it? I don't get it. It seems like a massive oversight, especially since they are so reliant on this influencer marketing network.
- [15:09]
Danny Parisi
Yeah, well, one thing, and I don't know if Revolve is thinking this, but we've said this on this podcast before. But like the FTC is basically like being gutted along with so many other federal agencies that normally would kind of watch out for stuff like this. And I wonder if like I feel like there's a strong message coming from the federal government right now that's like we will not be regulating big business unless they're like being woke. Of course, like that. That of course will be regulated. But like we won't be regulating environmental emissions, we won't be regulating consumer protection. You can just do whatever you want, I feel like is the message that's coming out. So again, not to say that Revolve maybe consciously thought this, but I do wonder if things like this will be harder to punish or harder to prevent because the federal agencies that would normally be keeping an eye out are just having all of their employees like fired and the doors locked and stuff. So that might. But class action lawsuits can still be filed and losing money is definitely an incentive or a disincentive around stuff like this. Any other thoughts on Revolve before we move on?
- [16:18]
Zofia Zweglinska
No, I think that's everything though.
- [16:19]
Danny Parisi
Let's do our last topic. I want to talk about the WNBA draft, which happened earlier this week. I believe it was on Monday. We covered the WNBA quite extensively last year and it really was a milestone year for the league and for women's sports in general. It was the biggest season ever for the WNBA last year. The draft was the most watched draft ever, the New York Liberty one, which was cool for me because I'm in New York and it was really fun. There are all these amazing players who became household names like Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese and all of these women, of course became fashion icons as well. So we covered it a lot last year and it felt like there was an amazing energy around it and it just feels like that's continuing this year. At the draft, Coach made a big announcement that they were going to be a new long term sponsor of the whole league, which already has fashion sponsorships like Louis Vuitton and Ralph Lauren are both sponsors. A lot of the women there were wearing Coach, but there was also lots of other cool outfits. I mean, a lot of really amazing designers were represented and styled and dressed these women too. So it's just. Yeah, it feels like a continuation of the huge spike we saw last year for the wnba. What did you think, Zofia?
- [17:25]
Zofia Zweglinska
Yeah, it really felt like a kind of brand moment. I know that on the beauty side as well, there's been an absolute, like, roster of partnerships. And considering, I guess, the revenue share in wnba, obviously these partnerships will mean a lot to these athletes because they'll be able to earn a lot more as a result. I know that from like some very early stats from, from last night. The media impact value for coach alone for the WNBA, I think it was 1.6 million just from kind of debut activation with the draft. And I know that they're still going to be doing some more things in the next couple of months around WNBA pride. So there's not just the WNBA angle, but also the LGBTQIA angle. And I think that they've been notably one of the few brands, I guess, especially in the fashion space, have been pretty outspoken against the current administration. What they're thinking around, you know, those diverse diversity initiatives.
- [18:28]
Danny Parisi
Yeah, it does. It feels like, you know, we were saying last year there was this huge spike for wnba, but I also think that applies to women's sports in general, which I think saw kind of just like an overall boost kind of across the board last year. I was wondering, is that, is that holding true in the UK as well or in Europe? Or am I. Do I have my American kind of blinders on?
- [18:50]
Zofia Zweglinska
I mean, it's definitely more visible in the US I think there's still a lot happening in the UK sports field and European as well. You know, for the lionesses. So the UK national team, there's been a lot of kind of media sponsorship as well. And it's the same kind of issue where, you know, a lot of the ad revenue is basically compensating for the fact that the ticket revenue from female athletes is still smaller. And as a result, they mean they get paid a lot less. And, you know, for the last like 10 or 15 years, athletes have been some of the most well paid people, but in particular it's mostly been men. So I think that only in sports like tennis, those amounts end up being relatively similar and sometimes outperforming the male athletes. So I think for team sports in particular, it's quite a challenging thing as an athlete in those areas to look at just your revenue share and get that same level of success without Those earnings.
- [19:51]
Danny Parisi
Yeah, for sure. One interesting thing to note, and we were just saying this before the recording, but this year's WNBA draft was the second most watched draft in the WNBA's history. It was a little bit less than last year. And I really don't want to be one of those number go down people where it's like it dropped 1%, it's falling apart or something. It's like it's truly not. It's still up over 100% from 2023. So I think it's definitely maintaining. I do think it's. To me, it says maybe that Caitlin Clark in particular was like a really big draw. You know, I think people were, like, aware of her and kind of interested even before the draft. The draft is interesting because there's. I think people who follow the sport really closely know some of these names beforehand, obviously. But I think for a lot of people who maybe only watch, you know, professional league and, you know, above the college level, this is them kind of like they probably. Maybe they've heard about some of these players, but this is them fully being sort of introduced to them. And I always feel like I felt this way last year with the WNBA draft, where it's like, these are all the names to know. Like, these are going to be like the new influencers in the making. They're obviously more than just influencers, but you know what I mean. A lot of those players became introduced to the public sort of at the draft, and then after that they had sponsorship deals and you started seeing them all over. So I think it's really interesting for that. But for that reason, it seems like the momentum is still carrying through, even if the viewership was down a teeny tiny bit.
- [21:20]
Zofia Zweglinska
Yeah, definitely. And I think it's interesting that you kind of positioned as them being influencers as well, because obviously most of these athletes are very active on social media as well. So their role, I guess, isn't just related to what they're doing on court or on a pitch most of the times. They're also kind of doing things either behind the scenes with brands or they're in, you know, brand campaigns. Like, this is also, I guess, the start of their influencer athlete, influencer journey as well.
- [21:52]
Danny Parisi
Yeah, for sure. Yeah. I think it's interesting to say, like, we. We saw Coach dress like. I think it was four of the 15 women were wearing Coach. Obviously, Coach also sponsors the league now, but there were a lot of other cool looks. Sergio Hudson dressed the commissioner of the league, Kathy Engelbert. There was a Fren player Dominique Malanga, who was wearing Louis Vuitton. I saw in the New York Times that she said it was very important for her to represent France and wear a French brand. And speaking of national heritage, there was also Kiki Iriafen, I think is her name, wore a gown by Nigerian designer Nika Alexander. I'm sorry, I'm so bad with these names. Yeah, it was a nice spread. There obviously were big, fully styled looks with a stylist and everything. And then there was a player who was like, yeah, this dress was picked by my mom. I don't even know where she got it from, but she looked great, too. So I don't know. It's interesting to see the spread of what kind of brands are represented. I think you said there also is a huge suite of kind of beauty sponsorships around the WNBA as well.
- [22:52]
Zofia Zweglinska
Yeah, definitely. And I'm very interested in kind of it becoming also a moment for custom looks and tailoring because obviously on the men's side, that's what you see a lot of the time is the draft is an opportunity to kind of put out the bling. And, you know, with this, I think for the wnba, it'll be really cool to see more designers like Sergio Hudson or Louis Vuitton putting out custom looks for these players as they grow, I guess, in notoriety.
- [23:20]
Danny Parisi
Yeah, for sure. Cool. Well, I think that's all the time we have for the week in review section of today's episode. Thank you so much for being here, Zofia.
- [23:27]
Zofia Zweglinska
Thank you so much. It was a pleasure.
- [23:29]
Danny Parisi
Thank you for being here, Zofia. Speaking of the wnba, stick around after a short break to hear our editor Jill spoke with WNBA stylist Brittany Hampton about styling Paige Beckers and how she's working with this new generation of players.
- [23:51]
Jill Manoff
Does your E Commerce platform suck? Painfully slow updates, a patchwork of sluggish systems, and TCO that makes you sweat. That's enough to give anyone a migraine time for an upgrade. Scale is the only E commerce platform built to cure enterprise pain, replatform in under seven months, launch in new markets in minutes, and execute even your most ambitious promotions fast. No more bottlenecks, no more headaches. Just a platform that really works. You know your platform stinks, so visit scale.com today. That's S C A Y L, E. Yes, the Y is silent because you never have to ask why Scale isn't performing. Thanks for tuning in to the Glossy podcast. I'm your host, Jill Manoff, and today I'm sitting down with Brittany Hampton. An athlete stylist who works with some of the biggest stars in women's basketball, including Paige Beckers, Nika Mule, Kelsey Plumb and Sabrina Ionescu. With the WNBA draft around the corner and the WNBA All Star Weekend coming up in June, I want to ask Brittany about the evolution of these events as major fashion moments and how she's prepping her clients accordingly. I also want to ask how she works with rookies and up and coming athletes to define their style and even build their brand. Welcome, Brittany. Thanks for being here.
- [25:17]
Brittany Hampton
Hi, Jill, Nice to meet you. Thanks for having me. Are you kidding?
- [25:22]
Jill Manoff
Oh, my gosh, I'm so excited to chat with you. You have the coolest job ever. But let's talk about that. How did you come to be the go to WNBA stylist?
- [25:31]
Brittany Hampton
Oh, my goodness. I feel like, honestly, a lot of these girls have given me the opportunity. Like, they start at their young age, right, where they're trying to mold who they are and the characters that they play and the lives that they live. And honestly, like, they came to me, they trusted me, and it was a moment that I was working with Russell Westbrook at the time. And yeah, it was one of those things where it was like word of mouth and they knew that I was going to be the stylist that they could go to and they. They honestly just trusted me.
- [26:02]
Jill Manoff
I love that. Well, our podcast producer slash WNBA fan let me know that. I don't know. She knows that the way that you work with Paige Beckers, for instance, she actually compared it to the way law approach works with Zendaya, how it's a very, like, one on one, very personal relationship. And I believe you have a Batman experience working with law.
- [26:25]
Brittany Hampton
Yeah, Yes, I do. I actually assisted Law after I left Nickelodeon, and I was actually working with Ariana Grande and Jeanette McCurdy at the time. And so at that point, I had handed off Ariana Grande to Law Roach, which was like such a great experience. But yeah, for the network and like, honestly, the entire fans and the community right now that are saying that, like, I am the new Law to the Zendaya with me, and Paige is such an honor. Like, it's such an honorable moment. But yeah, like, me starting with Paige in her. You know, she was in her sophomore year and she was still at UConn, which she still is now. And like, and we connected and we've been joined at the hip ever since we first started on a Stockx shoot. And again, it was like one of those moments where I nailed it. She felt like, she needed me back. And I was like, listen, I'm, I'm here.
- [27:14]
Jill Manoff
I love that. Well, when it comes to working with young folks, their Gen Z, what are they looking to get out of fashion? Out of a stylist. They're like, I need you. But like, why?
- [27:25]
Brittany Hampton
I think that again, it goes back to trust, right? I think that they know that they can come to us because we have, that we have those connections with brands. That's like the biggest thing that I feel like she always comes to me about. But then she also understands the style reference and that like, style always repeats itself. And that's something that like Paige and I constantly go back and forth about. And so like, she'll even ask me about like historic times in fashion, whether that'll be like crop top moments or tailored shirts or like ties are back in right now. And then like women even wearing like the more masculine pieces, she was like, have they ever done that before? And again, it's like that moment that they get to connect back with fashion and how we can help them in that capacity. It's always so funny to me. Like, I used to work for dvf and so of course, you know, Gen Z's like, who's dvf? Like, no shade.
- [28:13]
Jill Manoff
Oh no.
- [28:14]
Brittany Hampton
But it's like she is that honorary, you know, like, person that we all needed in our life at the time. And the fact that they want to sit still and be like, wow, we want to be able to bring that stuff back is, is the greatest moment for me. So.
- [28:28]
Jill Manoff
Yes. Do your clients also, the young ones also roll off brand names like, I want to wear this.
- [28:33]
Brittany Hampton
They do, yes.
- [28:34]
Jill Manoff
What are they gravitating toward? Is it like street wear? Has that come and gone or what? What is it?
- [28:40]
Brittany Hampton
You know what's funny? I do feel like when I was in high school, I always tried to reach that luxury like, standpoint too, right? Like I retail. But I was always like, wow, I really want to own a Christian Louboutin. And for Paige, that's Louis Vuitton. For her, it's. We're constantly sending her lookbooks. She's always wondering what's in stores and she wants the ones that's on rodeo. She wants those particular pieces. She doesn't want, like, yeah, she does. She wants the go to. But they're gravitating towards everything. I think that like with us having the flexibility too, of having emerging designers as well as, as luxury designers and them being able to kind of mix and play in it, it's a Different world that we live in. And then of course, we've got like the nil kids now who are making the bank to support that, right? Yes. But then they also have such a huge following that's also allowing them to, like, be on social media, get the connections with brands, have those brands reaching out to them directly. I don't know, something about the younger kids, though. Like, they want to support, and they support the emerging designers through and through.
- [29:48]
Jill Manoff
So that's.
- [29:48]
Brittany Hampton
We love that. Again, it's. It's that rotation of constantly, you know, keeping fashion in motion.
- [29:54]
Jill Manoff
For sure. Well, when it comes to working with someone for the first time, how would you say you kind of. Do you need to get to know them? Do you need to feel them out? Like, what are the processes before you start putting clothes on their body?
- [30:06]
Brittany Hampton
So let's see, let's see. I think communication is key, and I say that through and through. Right. Like, I actually have to sit and meet with a client. I am not one of those that, like, likes to jump into it. I think that, like, having a personal one on one conversation with them and understanding their style, who their favorites are, who they honestly like, are inspired by, and then understanding their own story through it all, too. Like, I think that, like, some people, I love when, like, I have a connection with a client. Russell Westbrook, for example, he always said that he got his style from his mom. And I never understood that because I'm like, you're a male. And like, wouldn't your dad be his father figures in his life? I'm like, wouldn't your dad be someone that you could always go to for that? And he's like, yeah, but my mom was always. She was always different. She would always play on textures, play on fabrics, play on colors, and then, you know, it. That always was like, a thing to me. So I like to constantly kind of drill into my clients and figure out, like, what it is that, that they like and what makes them want to.
- [31:10]
Jill Manoff
Jump into fashion right on. And once you're in, are you like, are you in? Are you guys working collaboratively for every and every and any occasion? Like, you're. You're dressing them for the tunnel, you're dressing them for the red carpet. Like, does it just depend on the. I don't know, on the client or. It's pretty much you're. You're their go to.
- [31:27]
Brittany Hampton
So, yes, it's a little bit of everything. Yeah. Which is great. I mean, tunnel walks have become our fashion shows.
- [31:35]
Jill Manoff
Right?
- [31:35]
Brittany Hampton
They, they really have. And they've become our catwalks. And so obviously that's like our main pivot. So working with clients on and off the court, there are brands that even want to identify with, like, them being in their uniforms, but then it also steps out of that. So if it steps out of that and it goes on to the streetwear looks and the events that they play in and the ones they go to, and then even just truly being like themselves in their own community and friend groups, they're trying to find themselves. And so for us, it's always that, like, how do we get a time to. To really help create who they want to mold to be?
- [32:13]
Jill Manoff
Right on. I would think that your job has gotten easier as brands have seen the opportunity that comes with working with these superstars. Tell me about that and how in demand these. These girls are.
- [32:26]
Brittany Hampton
Honestly, I think that it's truly a blessing. And like, you know, Paige and I say that all the time with, like, social media was one thing with fashion. Right. But people becoming and being in an industry now that is pivoted towards sports mainly has really been beneficial for us. Like, I think that, like you said, it's like the brands are itching to kind of get their foot in the door. But I think the best part about it is they're finally finding the funding to support them as well. They're not just asking for them to do free posts and free things and support them. When they know that on the back end of that, it's up, like, how do we support one another? And with my clients, too, I think that, like, one of the best things, as I just mentioned with, like, emerging artists is they like to support them. I have so many clients that are like, yo, like, this brand reach out to me and they want to send me some free stuff, but, like, you can have the free stuff and I'll buy the other stuff. Like, it's. It's just a really nice community of, like, again, working together. And for them, it's, again, it's. I think it's going to be a pivotal moment for brands to understand that, like, this is the lane that they should be in. And especially following women's sports across the board.
- [33:36]
Jill Manoff
Yes. We talk about this in every aspect of marketing, of everything, but, like, the fact that a lot of luxury brands are very slow to catch on or to go there.
- [33:47]
Brittany Hampton
Oh, yeah.
- [33:47]
Jill Manoff
Yes. There's still some brands who are, like, holding out and they're like, they have it. They don't get it yet.
- [33:52]
Brittany Hampton
There are, there are. And I think that it's just that fear Right. It's that fear of understanding. I think that there were so many brands that were scared to put influencers on the front of their Runway shows, and now here they are, like, fully, fully embedded into only influencers, mainly, and creators on the fronts of runways. But I think it's a fear that they jump into. But I think with the way that it's currently going, they're not going to have a, A, a beat to skip. That's for sure.
- [34:22]
Jill Manoff
That's for sure. Well, tell me about the challenges of dressing an athlete. I mean, they're muscular, they're super tall. Are you working with a tailor for every single look? What's necessary here?
- [34:34]
Brittany Hampton
Yeah, a tailor is absolutely necessary. They're kind of our best friends, to be honest, and trying to find one in multiple cities is probably the hardest. But thankfully, we have even those little mom and pop shops. Being able to give them the opportunity to come in and work with a celebrity client or an athlete is always beneficial. Right. But yeah, the fit, the silhouettes changes us having to purchase. As stylists, we purchase a lot off the rack, right. Especially because a lot of what it is that they need. So the pieces that they need are always, like on demand and they need them right then and there. Due to athletes athlete schedules in particular, we shop a lot off the rack. But again, having a tailor is always the best part about it. I usually have one, if not multiple, at my fittings. And so, yeah, it's. It's been a go to for sure.
- [35:26]
Jill Manoff
Yes. Well, we are approaching your one of many, I guess, Super Bowls throughout the year, which is the WNBA draft, and this episode will be coming out after that. So tell me, how many players will you be addressing and how long have you been preparing for this?
- [35:42]
Brittany Hampton
So as of right this second, I only have one, but I do have another that is fetching to possibly have me or someone else from my team. But as of right now, we've got a couple and so I'm excited about it. It has been a month just filled with excitement. I think that we've been leading up to this moment. So the planning has been through and through, but I think that for me, it was mainly about hitting the fashion goals, especially with Paige and her coming off of, you know, her GQ hype cover and figuring out exactly what that lane was still going to be by being able to approach the marketable aspect of who she is and then her fans being able to have access to the pieces that she wears. So we'll be able to play on a couple Different. Different things. And I think her and I are both, you know, in connection with one another when it comes down to that.
- [36:39]
Jill Manoff
Oh, my gosh. You mentioned some. Some things. Well, Paige, for. For one, she's projected to be the number one pick of the WNBA draft, so, I mean, it's kind of important. And then you. I mean, you. You mentioned another, like a GQ story, but, yeah, Nica Mule, who you also style, was named most stylish WNBA player. Anyway, you've got a lot of these great credits, accolades.
- [37:03]
Brittany Hampton
Nika. Nika is. Listen, she was my baby jumping into this as well. Like, Nika reached out to me on a DM that she did one late night in the middle of the night, and she said that she finally got the guts to actually send me a dm, and it was such a. Such an honorary moment. It still brings, like, tears to my eyes. And, like, she is just a doll. She's a doll to work with.
- [37:28]
Jill Manoff
That's so nice. What would you say is a winning draft look? Like? What does it need to be like? You know, when they're. When it's the. The NBA, we see a lot of. I mean, we used to see a lot of suits that didn't. Didn't fit.
- [37:40]
Brittany Hampton
Yeah, yeah, very true. But for w. That's actually funny. Taylor was not needed back in the. In the NBA. You know, I feel like in the NBA, it has definitely been about bling lately. I feel like the I. Pricier you are. That is who they. You know, that's who gets, like, the. The pin in the. Like, who wins. In terms of best dress for women, I think it's about really, truly owning who they are. I think we get a wide range of variety in women, and that's what I love. Right? You get the femme looks, you get the masculine looks, you get the vibrancy. You get everything that you need, including the energy when it comes down to the women. And so, like Nika, for example, when we did her draft last year, you know, her main. Her main thing was that she really wanted to get a grill made. And again, that's that Gen X moment where, like, you would think, okay, girl, this is a risk that we're about to take. But I made sure that she got the best of the best, and we took her to New York and she made it happen in a week. And, like, listen, it went. It went viral. She did it. She did what she needed to do. And the accessories are always a thing too.
- [38:56]
Jill Manoff
No doubt. You've talked in the past. I think it was a Vogue article about how dressing athletes requires storytelling. Like, what are the stories that you're telling with the athletes you're dressing for the. For the draft, for example?
- [39:10]
Brittany Hampton
I think that, like, it starts with culturally who they are, and that's a true representation. Right. Paige, for example, being Paige and where she comes from and where she was born, and then obviously, the roles that she plays and, like, the sport that she plays is one thing, but to be able to tell the story of who she is and what her personality is off the court is what matters. And Paige is. Again, we talk about Paige all the time, but she's so swaggy. Like, I don't know if you guys follow her on TikTok, but if you don't, please do, because she is the epitome of. Of the definition of swag. And so with that, it's always like, well, how do I elaborate on that when I dress her? And I find those moments to dress her.
- [39:53]
Jill Manoff
Oh, my gosh. A challenge to keep up with all that swag.
- [39:57]
Brittany Hampton
Oh, yeah, for sure. For sure.
- [40:00]
Jill Manoff
So to what extent you also have the All Star weekend? Not till June, but it's coming.
- [40:04]
Brittany Hampton
Yeah.
- [40:05]
Jill Manoff
What do you make of that becoming, like, also a fashion event? Like, to what extent is that equally as important in terms of the look?
- [40:13]
Brittany Hampton
Absolutely, absolutely. And again, I think that it's all eyes on us. I think that this is our version of, like, the Met Gala. Right. It is really been a moment that's now become televised as well. So, like, we'll be able to see it. And it kind of brings back that nostalgic, like, E News. Like, you know, you remember, like, the Fashion Police moment where, like, the media is now our fashion police, but we get those moments to shine. And that orange carpet alone is going to be every press outlet, every person from the stars to the. To the actual athletes that come into play, to the families that are with them, because they get to bring them along too. And then, of course, the. The events that are surrounding it. I think that, like, that weekend alone is going to be a pivotal weekend again. And it'll just be a moment that we're all gonna be excited about. The brand activations, the events that are surrounding it, and the carpet. It's like a must go.
- [41:11]
Jill Manoff
Oh, my gosh, I must go. Someday.
- [41:13]
Brittany Hampton
Yeah, maybe we go together. That'll be our day.
- [41:16]
Jill Manoff
We'll bring Kyle Smith.
- [41:18]
Brittany Hampton
Done.
- [41:19]
Jill Manoff
Oh, my gosh, I love it. So looking back over the last year or two, I mean, you've dressed a lot of women. There have been a lot of looks. Is there one that kind of stands out in your mind? It maybe went viral, or you're just so proud because it really represented the dressy dresser.
- [41:36]
Brittany Hampton
Well, I would say. I really do think. God, let me think about this. I wanted to say ESPYs, because Paige wore a kid super suit that. And then she's flipped her look, too. We did two looks. She did a separate look on stage, but she wore it straight off the Runway. And that was a moment for me because I believed in it. And I sent her the photo, and she was like, I don't know. But the girls don't see it. Like, they don't see the Runway aspect of. They're like, oh, it's grungy, it's slouchy. It's not going to look like that on me. And she came into the fitting and she put that on and she did not take it off.
- [42:17]
Jill Manoff
Oh, my gosh. You knew.
- [42:18]
Brittany Hampton
And she was hot. She was hot, though.
- [42:20]
Jill Manoff
Yes. We must look this up in that. Yes. So we'll say the standout is when you were right. No, you had a vision and it came. It pulled off. You pulled it off.
- [42:29]
Brittany Hampton
There we go. We pulled it off.
- [42:31]
Jill Manoff
I love that. I don't know if it's Paige, but you tell me she's got some swag. But which of your clients would you say is. Is most into fashion? They know a lot. They're into it. They love it. And. And what does that say about the impact or how does that impact how you dress them and how you approach your job?
- [42:47]
Brittany Hampton
So you know what? I'm gonna switch that one. I am gonna switch it to Nika, because Nika is that girl. And when I say that, I mean it through and through. Like, Nika steps out of her house and she is dolled up. She knows exactly what she's wearing. The look is planned. She's got the heel that matches the bag that matches the. The actual, like, top that she's wearing. She's added some accessories. And Nika is the first and only client that I have that comes to me with a mood board. So she comes to me with a fully decked out mood board of what it is that she wants and what it is that she's looking for. So, like, for example, she self styled a League Fits magazine shoot that she just did, and she asked me, she was like, I wish you could be here in Croatia. And I was like, you got it. I was like, I'm not worried about a thing. And she nailed it.
- [43:38]
Jill Manoff
Oh, my gosh. That's so cool.
- [43:40]
Brittany Hampton
So that's my fashionista.
- [43:42]
Jill Manoff
Love her love league fits. I've been following league fits for a very long time. It's so fun.
- [43:48]
Brittany Hampton
They're the ones. They're the reason.
- [43:50]
Jill Manoff
Yes. They're the reason for sure. Would you say. I have a question here about kind of the intersection of fashion and sports, about kind of what's next and what's driving it. So definitely some of these publications, Instagram accounts are really. I don't know. Yeah. Driving the message home. The power of the collaboration between the two. Absolutely, yeah. Anything else that you would say, like, what's fueling this fire?
- [44:15]
Brittany Hampton
Well, I think. Honestly, I think that the ambition that the players have to be more than just an athlete. Right. And I think that that's truly who they know that they are, whether that's within their community and then the fans that are watching and obviously everyone that aspires to be them. So I think that that's, like, their motivational push to keep going. Yes, we've got the publications that are supporting. Yes. We've got the social media outlets that are supporting us tremendously, from tagging the stylist to the creatives behind it to the people that are shooting it, and then, of course, them that's shopping the pieces. But on top of that, I think the thing that I am most excited for is I think that there's going to be a lot more brand partnerships and collaborations with athletes themselves. And I'm hoping that the fashion world can really, like, soak that in and be okay with it, because I think that there are so many celebrities that are put in that position, whether it's from the beauty side to the fashion side to the, you know, tech side of things, that I feel like this time, it's time for, like, athletes to have their moment to not only shine on the court, but to be able to speak to who they are. Even if it's just on a capsule base or a collection base. It'd be nice to really see those collaborations come through.
- [45:32]
Jill Manoff
Definitely. Hopefully, 2025 is the year we'd love to see some of those.
- [45:36]
Brittany Hampton
Yes. More and more, I'm like. I'm, like, rooting for. One of my favorite little girls right now is Trinity, and she plays soccer, and it's Trinity Rodman. Like, for you to be Dennis Rodman's daughter, like, I need the full backstory. You know what I mean? Like, those are the moments that I'm like, I need a nostalgic tea. I need to understand your fashion sense. Yeah, it's that Type of rollout from the younger gen that I'm like, really looking forward to seeing.
- [46:04]
Jill Manoff
Oh, my gosh. So not just wnba, we've got soccer players. I know you Also tennis star Sloane Stevens. Yeah.
- [46:11]
Brittany Hampton
Yes. Oh, Sloane. That's another one of my go tos. I love Sloane. She's my heart.
- [46:16]
Jill Manoff
I mean, athletes, it is.
- [46:18]
Brittany Hampton
Yeah, yeah.
- [46:20]
Jill Manoff
You have a niche here. This is working.
- [46:22]
Brittany Hampton
I do.
- [46:22]
Jill Manoff
Is there competition in this space? A lot of stylists that specialize in female athletes or.
- [46:27]
Brittany Hampton
No, I wouldn't call it a competition. I would definitely call it a sisterhood and like a community. I think that stylists also have stepped out of the gatekeeping, like, scenarios and they've actually really owned into, like, how we can do this as a community. Because to be able to, again, elevate in this space and be able to get what all of us need across the board from a brand perspective, from a marketing perspective, we have to be a family in this. And so, like, yeah, there are definitely some go to's that I. I've got. I've got friends across the board that are stylists. So.
- [47:01]
Jill Manoff
Nice. You mentioned a couple of brands on this episode. Kids. Super lv, obviously. Are there designers, whether they're emerging or established that you're really gravitating toward, or maybe your. Your clients are. You're loving them now.
- [47:17]
Brittany Hampton
Let me think, let me think. I'm like, there's so many that I'm like, I can't even. Lapointe has been one that has been completely supportive beyond words, which we love because they just did their campaign with Oprah and it was like a full moment. So in my femme space, I'm like, those are my girls. That's my go to.
- [47:37]
Jill Manoff
I love that one. That one's. I didn't think you'd say that. I love that one.
- [47:40]
Brittany Hampton
Yeah, I love that one because I'm a feather girl all day. You won't catch me in a feather. But I own that space. And then I will say, for the streetwear capacity, I've got a ton. God, I feel like Micah Miri always is one. Ruigi and rude. And then Namayas, of course, like Donny Namayus has just done such an incredible job over there. And like the LA space in general, we've got so many. So it's nice to have Kwame Daswa. Like, there's so many different ones that, like, I try my hardest to kind of gravitate towards every single one and bring them in and yeah. In truly own it.
- [48:21]
Jill Manoff
Oh, My gosh. Well, last question for you as we wrap it up. You said you were heading from LA to New York today. I mean, day in the life. As you're working with players, are you also on the road? You're following them from city to city. How would you describe your life right now?
- [48:35]
Brittany Hampton
You know, I will say that the. The athlete schedule is one thing, and I will say, like, not only do I have to watch their games because you can only tune in and contact them when they win a game. Right. But across the board, I've got MLB right now, I've got NBA, and I've got wnba, and then tennis will be ramping back up shortly, and so it's just about getting back into the swing of things. I think I'm young enough now to where I can. My knees can keep me together in this world, but I love every bit of it, and I don't miss a beat where I'm not grateful for the opportunities that they give to me, so. And trusting me again with their livelihood and, you know, what they're wearing and their scheduling, and we're just all here as a company to make them their best, so.
- [49:27]
Jill Manoff
Right on. Well, hey, your Instagram is the new league. Fits in my eyes. So, anyway, excited about all you do this season? Yeah.
- [49:37]
Brittany Hampton
Thank you so much, and thank you guys for having me. It's been a pleasure.
- [49:41]
Jill Manoff
Thank you. Thank you so much for being here. That's all for this episode. Our theme music is by Otis McDonald. If you liked this episode, be sure to share it with someone else you think would. Thanks for listening to the Glossy podcast.