We Finally Ask Breanna Stewart… Who Is Behind Ellie? | PLUS Balenciaga Has A New Creative Director

Summary

Podcast Summary: The Run-Through with Vogue Episode: We Finally Ask Breanna Stewart… Who Is Behind Ellie? | PLUS Balenciaga Has A New Creative Director
Release Date: May 22, 2025

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Introduction

In this captivating episode of The Run-Through with Vogue, hosts Chioma Nnadi, head of British Vogue, and Chloe Mel, editor of Vogue.com, delve into a variety of hot topics in the fashion and sports worlds. From unveiling the mystery behind the New York Liberty's beloved mascot, Ellie the Elephant, to announcing Balenciaga's new creative director, the episode is packed with insightful discussions, notable quotes, and exclusive behind-the-scenes stories. Featuring a special guest appearance by WNBA star Brianna Stewart, this episode provides an engaging and comprehensive look into the intersections of fashion, sports, and culture.

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Ellie's Real Identity Revealed

A significant highlight of the episode is the deep dive into Ellie the Elephant, the iconic mascot of the New York Liberty WNBA team. The hosts, along with Brianna Stewart, uncover the secrets behind Ellie’s real identity, adding a personal touch to the narrative.

Brianna Stewart [15:14]: "Or Stewie's easy, right? Can't mess that up."

Stewart shares anecdotes about her nickname and its origins, seamlessly transitioning into her experiences with the team and Ellie.

Choma [25:30]: "Ellie's been such an important part of the franchise because... it's a show from top to bottom."

The discussion emphasizes the role Ellie plays in enhancing the game-day experience, making it more than just a basketball event.

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Balenciaga's New Creative Director

The podcast takes a stylish turn as Choma and Chloe discuss the exciting news of Pierpaolo Pietroli being appointed as Balenciaga's new creative director. This move marks a significant shift in the fashion house's direction.

Choma [04:10]: "Balenciaga was quite unexpected. But when it was announced, it just kind of made so much sense, given his background in couture."

The hosts reflect on the warm reception Pietroli received and his potential impact on Balenciaga's future collections.

Chloe Mel [05:22]: "I feel like, as you said, people, there's such goodwill around him, and it'll be exciting. It'll certainly be a departure from Demna, I would imagine, in tone."

They also touch upon the broader trend of designer shifts within the industry, highlighting how these changes influence major events like the Cannes Film Festival.

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Fashion Shifts and the Cannes Film Festival

The conversation transitions to the dynamic changes in the fashion industry, especially with the upcoming Cannes Film Festival. The hosts explore how brands are adapting to new creative leadership and the challenges of debuting new designer collections amidst these transitions.

Choma [05:51]: "The couture schedule needs that injection of newness, so it's gonna be a fun. Yeah, it's such a great moment."

They discuss the strategic placement of new designers' work during high-profile events, ensuring visibility and fresh narratives in the fashion scene.

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Brianna Stewart's Player Insights: Game, Parade, and More

Brianna Stewart shares her exhilarating experiences from the WNBA season opener, the subsequent championship parade, and her unique moment of throwing the first pitch at a Yankees game.

Choma [16:01]: "We beat the Aces, 92 to 78. I scored a very impressive 25 points."

Stewart reflects on the joy and challenges of balancing high-stakes sports with personal milestones, such as family celebrations.

Choma [29:25]: "The parade was crazy. We had our Puma float... and a whole bunch of other things."

These personal stories provide listeners with an intimate glimpse into the life of a top-tier athlete and her interactions beyond the court.

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Met Gala Experiences

The episode also features Stewart’s first-time experience attending the prestigious Met Gala. She offers an insider’s perspective on the event’s ambiance, fashion, and exclusive moments.

Choma [35:18]: "My night at the Met Gala was incredible... having clothes designed by Sergio Hudson just felt really authentic."

Stewart describes the meticulous preparation, the stunning outfits, and the electrifying atmosphere that make the Met Gala a pinnacle event in the fashion calendar.

Choma [36:23]: "I was in this, like, all cream suit... it's very fancy."

Her detailed recounting highlights the blend of artistry and personal expression that defines the Met Gala.

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Fashion Tips and Personal Style

Stewart also shares her fashion preferences and tips for tall individuals, discussing her favorite brands and how she curates her wardrobe to balance style and functionality.

Choma [41:11]: "Right now I'm, like, getting a lot of jeans from Ateco. Jeans, cargo pants. Love that because it has the length."

She emphasizes the importance of versatile and well-fitted clothing, drawing from her personal experiences as a tall athlete navigating both professional and casual wardrobes.

Choma [42:15]: "Fashion is pretty fluid... make it more masculine and make it more feminine just by everything else that you're putting on with it."

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Unrivaled League and Community Engagement

Beyond fashion and personal stories, Stewart discusses her entrepreneurial venture, the Unrivaled league, which she co-founded with Nafeesa Collier. The league focuses on bringing top basketball talent to Miami, fostering community engagement and providing players with more opportunities to showcase their skills.

Choma [23:43]: "We wanted to be able to build our brand and be more marketable and have people and fans know where we are."

This initiative reflects Stewart's commitment to empowering athletes and creating sustainable platforms for professional growth.

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Conclusion

This episode of The Run-Through with Vogue masterfully intertwines the worlds of sports and fashion, offering listeners a rich and multifaceted exploration of contemporary culture. From unraveling the mystery of Ellie the Elephant to celebrating new beginnings at Balenciaga and spotlighting Brianna Stewart’s dynamic life, the conversation is both engaging and enlightening. Whether you’re a fashion aficionado or a sports enthusiast, this episode provides valuable insights and memorable moments that resonate long after the final word.

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Brianna Stewart [15:14]: "Or Stewie's easy, right? Can't mess that up."
• Choma [25:30]: "Ellie's been such an important part of the franchise because... it's a show from top to bottom."
• Choma [04:10]: "Balenciaga was quite unexpected. But when it was announced, it just kind of made so much sense, given his background in couture."
• Chloe Mel [05:22]: "I feel like, as you said, people, there's such goodwill around him, and it'll be exciting. It'll certainly be a departure from Demna, I would imagine, in tone."
• Choma [16:01]: "We beat the Aces, 92 to 78. I scored a very impressive 25 points."
• Choma [35:18]: "My night at the Met Gala was incredible... having clothes designed by Sergio Hudson just felt really authentic."
• Choma [42:15]: "Fashion is pretty fluid... make it more masculine and make it more feminine just by everything else that you're putting on with it."

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This summary is brought to you by Booking.com and Quince, as mentioned in the episode transcripts.

Transcript

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[Chloe Mel]

This is the run Through. I'm Chloe Mel.

[Cho Minardi]

And I'm Chemin Minati.

[Chloe Mel]

This week, two of our wonderful colleagues, fashion writer Hannah Jackson and digital style director Leah Faye Cooper, went on a field trip to the Barclays center, home of our favorite team, the New York Liberty WNBA Super Team. They won the championships last year and have become a real New York cultural institution. We have just loved all of the excitement around their games. Fran Lebowitz Sitting courtside Ellie the Elephant, obviously. Which choma? Get ready for a real deep dive on Ellie. This is the big reveal on Ellie's real identity. They spoke with Brianna Stewart, or Stewie, as many call her. She is a forward on the team and one of the most accomplished women's basketball players in history. So it was a huge treat to hear from her. And they talked about everything from secret. Who is behind the famous Liberty team mascot, Ellie the Elephant. You'll have to listen to find out. Brianna's met Gala. Look what it's like to see the NBA get so much love right now. And Hannah and Leah interviewed Brianna after the team's big win at the home game opener. So that was marking the new season.

[Cho Minardi]

Oh, I can't wait to hear it.

[Chloe Mel]

But first, Choma, what is your big news of the week? I mean, Balenciaga, did you see Pierpaolo Pietroli coming?

[Choma]

No.

[Cho Minardi]

What's funny is. So Pierpaolo did a talk at Lightroom, which was obviously our big experiential exhibit in London, the Vogue Runway exhibit. And we had dinner afterwards, and he was in such a fabulous mood. And he mentioned that he had a job that had a lot of history.

[Choma]

Interesting.

[Cho Minardi]

We all kind of suspected that it might be Fendi or we imagined an Italian label. I think Balenciaga was quite unexpected. But when it was announced, it just kind of made so much sense, given his background in couture. The Internet was just. It just was met with such a warm response. Pierpaolo is so beloved.

[Chloe Mel]

Laird, Burly person, did an amazing piece the day that the news was announced on Pierre Paolo's Balenciaga isms. And it's something that Laird is so exceptionally talented at, which is really finding these archive juxtapositions. And I thought it was such an incredible confirmation of why Pierre Paolo is the right person for this job, because she compares all of these designs of his over the years that also speak to and have references in iconic Balenciaga silhouettes and designs and codes. So I am really excited to see what he does with the house. I feel like, as you said, people, there's such goodwill around him, and it'll be exciting. It'll certainly be a departure from Demna, I would imagine, in tone.

[Cho Minardi]

He always managed to bring a sense of modernity to couture that felt really tangible. And as you said, especially the silhouettes, the sort of precise nature of his silhouettes, his use of solid colors and patterns. And I think it will be. I think it's gonna be really strong and something that people are gonna be very excited about and seeing it return. I think the couture schedule needs that injection of newness, so it's gonna be a fun. Yeah, it's such a great moment.

[Chloe Mel]

Also in the designer musical chairs ness of it all. I do think it's interesting that Pierpaolo is going to Balenciaga because Demna is going to Gucci because Sabato di Sarno is out at Gu, who used to be Pierre Paolo's number two at Valentino. It's like Susie sells seashells at the seashore. Trying to say all that really fast. It's been interesting also with all of these designer shifts to see how brands are bridging the transition, especially at a place like Cannes, where there's so much red carpet dressing on display and a lot of the brands just don't have their new designer set up yet. So you are seeing a lot of Gucci designed by the in team studio. Or Balenciaga is still very much a demna aesthetic, like the denim on denim that Isabel Iupert wore. And it's also become this real moment of debuting new designers work with celebrity placement moments. Like Julianne Moore just debuted Louise Trotter's first Bottega Veneta red carpet outfit on Julianne Moore at Cannes, which was this sort of. How would you describe it?

[Cho Minardi]

Choma, I would call it like a black column with an asymmetric strap at the top. I mean, Timmy did it twice, didn't he? He also did.

[Chloe Mel]

Exactly.

[Cho Minardi]

Givenchy's first menswear look. That butter yellow that he wore on his Oscar run was a kind of sneak peek at Sarah Burton's collection before her Runway.

[Chloe Mel]

I know Oscars was the big Givenchy reveal. It was Timmy in butter yellow and Elle Fanning in her amazing Givenchy confection.

[Cho Minardi]

I think it's such a smart move because you get these announcements, and it feels like you sit with the news for so long before an actual collection comes out. And we're all so thirsty for new things and for a little taste of what's to come. And obviously, you can't give away too much as a designer, but you set the stage for what's coming, and you also set the stage of the people you're dressing, who's in your circle, and who are the people you sort of care about, which I think is smart for Louise Trotter. I love that she. She picked Julianne Moore. She's such a fabulous, fabulous actress who has a history of being deeply connected to designers like Tom Ford and really caring about what she wears and being very intentional about her fashion choices. So I think it's great that she went with, you know, and she's a little bit older, which I think is great. She's not a sort of a young engineer, which I think speaks volumes.

[Chloe Mel]

Oh, my God. Choma. Your girl. I'll always think of Rihanna as your girl.

[Brianna Stewart]

All right.

[Cho Minardi]

She is my girl.

[Chloe Mel]

Yeah, your girl has had some major Cannes red carpet moments. A$AP Rocky is there promoting. He's in Spike Lee's movie, right?

[Cho Minardi]

Yeah, he's in Spike.

[Choma]

Him.

[Cho Minardi]

Spike. I loved. Christian wrote a piece about Spike lee, Denzel and A$AP being like the most delightful trio at Cannes. And I'm just loving the, their vibe and their energy. I love, I love seeing that trio. And obviously my girl in Alaia.

[Chloe Mel]

Two bump bearing Alaias in a row.

[Cho Minardi]

Two bump bearing aliahs.

[Chloe Mel]

Yeah, she, she and Rocky had this really cute moment on the red carpet in the rain with an umbrella. And our social team made me laugh because their caption was Alexa play umbrella. And it was just like a video of them giggling under their umbrella.

[Cho Minardi]

They do seem to just have the best time. Wherever they go, they go out. It's not just like a, it's an actual moment. And I think that's. Sometimes the red carpet can seem like it's a bit of a chore for some celebrities, but you actually get the sense that they enjoy it and they love a moment to show up and sort of show out, which I, which I enjoy.

[Chloe Mel]

I am also very focused on the men of Cannes. I feel like it was a real can hunks season. Pedro Pascal and his muscle tee, Alexander Skarsgrd with Harry Lambert, who's styling him, has just completely leaned into kooky and kinky. He fully wore thigh high patent leather fetish boots.

[Choma]

Wow.

[Chloe Mel]

Leather. I mean, he, his outfits are delightful and completely unexpected. So that's been really fun. Hannah did a fun piece on, on him. Lauren Sanchez's Paris bachelorette party was a big moment on social media this weekend.

[Cho Minardi]

Yeah, tell me about it. What were, what, what was the response? Because this I haven't been following so closely from across the pond, but I, I, I know that anything that she does get has big effect.

[Chloe Mel]

Big effect. There were 11 women, three of whom were Kris Jenner, Kim Kardashian, Katy Perry, also Eva Longoria. Um, they.

[Cho Minardi]

She loves a white dress, right?

[Chloe Mel]

She loves a white dress.

[Cho Minardi]

I do love that picture of them in, in bed or with their towels wrapped around their head. It's such a Like Instagram cliche.

[Chloe Mel]

I know. It's such a bachelorette party. Yeah, she's a real girls girl. And so that felt very much like this kind of thing. There are two resort shows, two main resort shows coming up. There's Vuitton this week in Avignon and Dior in Rome. I love seeing location shows. I feel like it's. It's a much more interesting sort of full narrative that you get for a show.

[Cho Minardi]

And this one is at the Palais des Papes in Avignon.

[Chloe Mel]

The Pope's Palace.

[Cho Minardi]

The Pope's Palace. So Vuitton has a history of doing Runway shows in locations that no one else has ever been able to do a Runway show. This is a UNESCO, another UNESCO World Heritage site. I think they've done several in unexpected places and it just looks incredible.

[Chloe Mel]

Fantastic.

[Cho Minardi]

I'm sure the show's gonna be fab. Another big story that's been making a lot of noise in the background. And at least coming up a lot in my social feed is the PDD trial and it has opened for the past, I guess it's been like almost two weeks now. It opened with Cassie on the stand and she's heavily pregnant. And I think I've had so much admiration for her for a woman who has had to relive the sort of horrifying details of these acts of domestic abuse and sexual violence. And I just feel a lot of admiration and respect for her. I think she's managed to do it in a way that feels really appropriate and has done it with such grace and shown such inner strength.

[Chloe Mel]

I mean, the details that have come out of it are so horrific and devastating.

[Cho Minardi]

Obviously this trial is ongoing. I'll certainly be watching and following along because I, I do feel like the repercussions of it again are going to be huge. And I think for people who've experienced anything like this, I just can't imagine what it must be like to be seeing it unfold.

[Chloe Mel]

I really am very in awe of the women who have been testifying and I hope that they are taking care of themselves. The run through will be back with Briana Stewart.

[Vincent Cunningham]

From the online spectacle around Leo XIV's election to our favorite on screen cardinals this week on Critics at Large, we're talking all things hope.

[Guest]

The Catholic Church was made for this moment.

[Choma]

I think 2,000 years ago, the Catholic Church basically anticipated TikTok, Instagram X.

[Guest]

You don't have those little. You don't have those little Swiss Guard outfits and think they're not being photographed.

[Choma]

Oil painting is not enough.

[Vincent Cunningham]

I'm Vincent Cunningham. Join me and my co hosts for an episode on what can only be described as Pope Week. New episodes of Critics at Large drop every Thursday. Find us wherever you get your podcasts.

[Richard Lawson]

Support for this podcast comes from Odoo. Imagine relying on a dozen different software programs to run your business, none of which are connected, and each one more expensive and more complicated than the last. It can be pretty stressful. Now imagine Odoo. Odoo has all the programs you'll ever need, and they're all connected on one platform. Doesn't Odoo sound amazing? Let Odoo harmonize your business with simple, efficient software that can handle everything for a free fraction of the price. Sign up [e-mail]. that's O-O-O.com.

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[Brianna Stewart]

Okay, well, first, is it Brianna or Brianna?

[Choma]

Ugh. Or seriously asked me. Yeah, I've been trying to set this record straight for a while. It's Brianna.

[Brianna Stewart]

Brianna.

[Choma]

Yeah.

[Brianna Stewart]

Okay. Amazing.

[Choma]

Or Stewie or Stewie? Stewie's easy, right? Can't mess that up.

[Brianna Stewart]

When did you get the nickname Stewie?

[Choma]

I got the nickname Stewie when I was probably 16 or 17. I was at a junior national USA thing, and Stephanie Dolson, who became my teammate at UConn, started calling me Stewie because my last name is Stuart. And then it just. It just went like, if anyone in the basketball world calls me Brianna or Bri, I'm like, who are you? We must not be on the same page here.

[Brianna Stewart]

Okay, nice. Okay, well, you guys are fresh off of your first game of the season. You beat the aces, 92 to 78.

[Guest]

Wow.

[Brianna Stewart]

You scored a very impressive 25 points. But tell us about the game, because there was a banner raising. You guys got your fab rings, kind of like a celebration of your championship. What was that like?

[Choma]

Yeah, what an incredible day on Saturday. I think that it was something that we were both. We were all looking forward to just getting back out in front of the fans, like being at Barclays Center. And one of the hardest things about opening night and ring night is like flipping the switch because you warm up, you do all the things, and then you take 30 minutes. And they're like, here, grab your rings. Like, let's take pictures, let's watch the banner, and then we'll go and play the game. But the rings are beautiful. Like, I. I wore it. I wore it to the Yankees game last night when I threw out the first pitch, and it was, like, literally filling up my half of my finger.

[Guest]

Oh, my God.

[Choma]

But it has diamonds all over, which we love.

[Brianna Stewart]

Yes.

[Choma]

But the top, it comes off. So, like, it twists and comes off, and there's earrings inside. And then it has, like, the series record of everybody we played. And it says, we all we got. We all we need inside, which is cool.

[Guest]

That is so sick.

[Brianna Stewart]

That's amazing.

[Guest]

Did you ever have those rings when you were a kid that, like, the top opened up and it was lip gloss? Cause that feels like the infinite better version.

[Choma]

Oh, my gosh.

[Brianna Stewart]

This is the adult version.

[Guest]

Yes, this is the way better version.

[Choma]

And afterwards, my daughter. I found her after the game. She had her own ring, too. A ring? Pop. A blue one, of course, all over her face. So it was perfect for the pictures. When they brought the banner back down with the family. Her face is blue, but that just.

[Guest]

Makes it a way better memory.

[Brianna Stewart]

How old is she?

[Choma]

She's three.

[Brianna Stewart]

Three.

[Guest]

Oh, that's so sweet. Wait, I want to hear more about throwing out the first pitch at the Yankees game. How was that? Like, did you have anxiety? Obviously, you're playing in front of thousands of people all the time, but, like.

[Brianna Stewart]

I feel like you see those sometimes you see very, very athletic people, and the ball goes, like, one foot in front of them.

[Choma]

Yeah.

[Brianna Stewart]

Or goes completely off.

[Guest]

Hopefully that didn't happen.

[Brianna Stewart]

That would be me.

[Choma]

I was very excited to throw the first pitch at the Yankees game. I think that everyone was asking me, like, did I warm up? Like, was I ready? And I was like, I don't. I'm just go with the flow. Like, I can throw a baseball, but there is, like, a different kind of pressure because you don't want to throw it in the dirt. You don't want to bounce it. You don't want to be the person that goes, like, to the left.

[Brianna Stewart]

Right.

[Choma]

So I had a few practice throws in, and then I threw it from the mound because I didn't want to go in front. I want to be, like, a pitcher. So I think, like, you know, maybe I got a shot at, like, one of those, like, 15 year, $700 million contracts.

[Guest]

There we go.

[Brianna Stewart]

Contracts are nuts. Nuts.

[Guest]

We have to talk about your tunnel look from the home opener. You wore A custom Romeo Hunt denim suit. It was a very cool, like, indigo double breasted situation. You know, obviously the on court style is pretty limited, and it feels like the tunnel is really a place for you to express yourself. I'm curious, like, what you want to be saying with your. Your tunnel fits.

[Choma]

Yeah, I think especially, like, what I want to be saying this year with my tunnel fits is like, well put together, you know, like, it makes sense. It. It just goes good. Not too crazy or flashy or eye popping. But you're gonna look at me and be like, yes, she knows what she's doing. Like, she can put it together a little bit. And I liked what I wore for the home opener. I felt like it was fitting because it was a day game, you know, like, that also makes sense. It's like, all right, what time is the game? Like, this isn't a night outfit.

[Brianna Stewart]

Right.

[Choma]

But is that still considered like a Canadian tuxedo or what? You know what I mean? Because it's denim on denim. Like, everyone's telling me that's.

[Brianna Stewart]

I say yes. I say yes.

[Guest]

A Canadian tuxedo can be whatever you want it to. In terms of formality, I think.

[Brianna Stewart]

Yeah.

[Guest]

It doesn't have to be casual.

[Brianna Stewart]

Yeah, for sure. That was a very chic one.

[Choma]

Also.

[Guest]

Oh, sorry. I was just gonna tell the fans at home about Brianna's outfit. Right now she is very put together in a periwinkle Marnie suit.

[Brianna Stewart]

The other one, periwinkle Marnie suit. The glam is glammy.

[Guest]

The glam is glam. The waves, they're beachy.

[Choma]

Thank you. Thank you. The lashes, honestly, this morning suit is like one of my favorites because it's like, it's a suit material, but it's like stretchy, so it's just comfortable. Yeah, just nice. And I like, it's like if it was Easter right now, I would be like, perfect.

[Brianna Stewart]

Right. So, okay. One of your new teammates this year, Natasha Cloud.

[Choma]

Yes.

[Brianna Stewart]

She said that she tried to recruit you to Washington and you declined, but now she's here and, you know, in talking after. After the game, she described you as being really versatile and really unselfish. Can you talk a bit about how those qualities kind of are part of your game?

[Choma]

Yeah. I mean, first of all, love that Tasha's here in New York, and I think that all of the fans are going to continue to love her. She had an amazing season opener, Liberty debut game, and I think the versatility that I want to bring to my team is the ability to do more than one thing. And that's on and off the court. Like being able to juggle a lot at once and just bring greatness behind it. Natasha's also doing this thing right now, and every single day she's like, on her Instagram, she's like, what bag am I bringing in? So she's showing off all my different bags. So I feel like I have some surprises for her later in the season with a ton of fits. Yeah.

[Guest]

Can you give us any. Any hints?

[Choma]

No, no. No hints.

[Guest]

Oh, my God. We'll just have to stay tuned.

[Choma]

I've used this, like, Dior tote. It's like a. I got it from when Dior had the Brooklyn.

[Brianna Stewart]

The show at the Brooklyn Museum.

[Choma]

Yeah, the show at the Brooklyn Museum. Love that little tote. And I had a puma bag today somewhere, a goyard bag one day. She's just. We're just mixing it up.

[Brianna Stewart]

Nice.

[Guest]

Well, when Leah and I came to a game last season, it was quite a starry event. And I mean, even on Saturday's game alone, it was like Spike Lee, Robin Roberts, Sophia Bush, Jason Sudeikis, all sitting courtside. Have you ever gotten starstruck by anyone sitting in the front row?

[Choma]

Yeah. So every day, every game day, when I'm going to the gym, I listen to Meek Mill. And one of the games in the playoff playoffs, Meek came to the game and we lost.

[Guest]

Oh, no.

[Choma]

So I didn't, like, go say hi because I was like, we lost. I'm mad, like, whatever. I regret my decision.

[Brianna Stewart]

Okay.

[Choma]

He needs to come back.

[Brianna Stewart]

All right, guess what? I say Meek Mill.

[Guest]

I'm sure he's an avid center of the run through, so he'll hear this.

[Brianna Stewart]

He needs to come back this season for sure. Okay. So as a sports fan, it's been so cool to see Unrivaled, which you founded with your former UConn teammate, Nafeesa Collier. For people who are unfamiliar, tell us about Unrivaled, like, what it is, what inspired you guys to launch the league and what the first season was like.

[Choma]

Yep. So for people that are unfamiliar, Nafisa Fee and I launched Unrivaled, co founders of Unrivaled. And it's where we're bringing the best of the best to Miami. Top 36 players to come to play three on three and to kind of work on your game, to hone in your skills and be in one market, a different market than any WNBA market, and be home. I think that one of the biggest struggles is as a professional player. Usually you play wnba, you go overseas, you're just on this constant hamster wheel of what needs to be done. And we wanted to change that. We wanted to be able to build our brand and be more marketable and have people and fans know where we are. And that's what we did. And I'm really proud of the success that we've had in year one. Just from even like the fan perspective, like a lot of fans coming from New York coming down to watch and really all over to watch their favorite players.

[Guest]

There's such a liveliness to a Liberty game. I think for people who haven't experienced, it is such an event beyond the game itself. There's the lil torches, who we're obsessed with. There's the timeless torches, and I mean, of course there's Ellie the elephant. How could we not bring up Ellie? This Saturday, the opener, Ellie performed to.

[Choma]

Nicki Minaj and I didn't get to see it. I was busy.

[Guest]

We were, you know, it really. It came up in today's meeting.

[Brianna Stewart]

It did, it did.

[Guest]

It traveled far and wide. So I have to know why you think Ellie has become such an integral part of the franchise.

[Choma]

I think Ellie's been such an important part of the franchise because like you said, you know, people come to. To Liberty games and it really is an experience. Like you're watching basketball, but you're watching so much more. You have like the little torches, the timeless torches. You have Ellie and then everything in between. It's a. It's a show from top to bottom. And I think having Ellie just is another way for fans to. To kind of embrace and interact what Liberty means and what New York basketball means. And she's out there, like, stunting her stuff every time. Like, listen, she's quite fast. She's going out there always on. I love it when Ellie and I coordinate. Fits like in tunnel walks and stuff.

[Guest]

Do you coordinate? Do you text before? Do you have a group chat?

[Choma]

I think we need to create a group chat, honestly. Well, we coordinated last year with some with a jersey. Jets jersey.

[Guest]

Oh, my God. Well, I have to ask. And we're, we're all dying to know if you know who's under Ellie's elephant head.

[Brianna Stewart]

Do you know?

[Guest]

For those who are not aware, and this was recently made aware to me by one Leah Faye Cooper. It is a big secret.

[Choma]

That is a big secret.

[Guest]

A mascot is not to be revealed.

[Choma]

We're sworn to secrecy over here, but.

[Guest]

You know, not a shoulder shrug. Brianna, please.

[Brianna Stewart]

Wow.

[Choma]

If you sign to the New York Liberty, you might be able to find out some of our new players still don't know too, so.

[Guest]

Really? So you have to be like a multi or you have to have a ring to know.

[Choma]

Literally. Yeah.

[Guest]

Well, I better start working on it.

[Choma]

Put a ring on it and you'll be able to get. You'll be able to have more.

[Brianna Stewart]

Oh, my gosh.

[Guest]

That's another.

[Brianna Stewart]

I'll definitely take that ring. Okay, you. You grew up in Syracuse, right? And then you had an illustrious career at UConn, won four national championships there. You've played in the U.S. you've played internationally, you've gone to the Olympics. Is there like a time in your career that you would love to revisit or. There. I'm sure there have been many highlights, but what are some that really stick out to you?

[Choma]

I think the most recent ones are the ones that stick out the most to me because, like, if I look at this past summer, it was 2024, Olympics, going to Paris, winning gold medal. Like, having my kids be there with me was something that was really special. It was my third gold medal, but.

[Chloe Mel]

Oh, my gosh.

[Brianna Stewart]

Okay.

[Choma]

But just being able to. To kind of have them experience what I'm experiencing. You know, the first one in 2016, I was a rookie, so my head was spinning and I was like, I'm here. This team is amazing. Like, let me see what I can learn. And then the second one was during COVID so nobody could come. And then having Paris, being able to bring my family was really cool. And then I've won, you know, I've won championships in Seattle, and playing with Sue Bird is like, one of my favorite things. And I wish she was still playing, but, you know, she's doing pretty good for herself, like, off the court as well.

[Brianna Stewart]

She is.

[Choma]

She is.

[Brianna Stewart]

She's also on the podcast.

[Guest]

Great Company.

[Choma]

She is. Yeah, she's funny. But winning in New York, like, this past season, that feeling, that energy, that buzz, doing something that hasn't been done before is at all time, you know, that has a place of its own. But not only winning, but the celebrations afterwards, it was just like, non stop.

[Brianna Stewart]

I was here the night you guys won.

[Choma]

The night we won. But what about the parade?

[Brianna Stewart]

Fantastic night.

[Choma]

The parade was crazy.

[Brianna Stewart]

The parade. I will say that we were in the office. We were in the office and people started. Our co workers are coming in and they're like, you guys, they're setting up for the parade. Everyone was very excited about it, so. Well, yeah, tell us about the parade. What was it like?

[Choma]

Well, so you never know with parades because you're Getting ready. You meet here at Barclays, then you get on the bus. You gotta go to Manhattan, like, and you find your float. So I had a Puma float, which I love. Shout out to Puma. And I had my family on there and lots of champagne and stuff. But you still don't know. Like, you're waiting to turn the corner to see, like, are there gonna be fans here?

[Brianna Stewart]

Right?

[Choma]

You know what I mean? Like, suspense is building.

[Brianna Stewart]

Am I just gonna be waving to three taxi cabs?

[Choma]

We started, and you just hear, like, this, like, roar, you know, the. The amount of fans that were there and from block to block to block, like, it was long, was really special. And I think one of the. The best parts about it were it wasn't just people. Like, right place, right time. They had the jerseys and the shirts and the Ellis and all the things and the signs. Like, they were ready to go. So that was a lot of fun. And then I think it was the same day we had a final celebration here at Barclays at Club Barclays. People literally just came to party with us. Like, there was nothing like a little performance from, like, Fat Joe and stuff, but, like, party. Like, we were just part. It was, like, literally Club Barclays bottle service.

[Brianna Stewart]

Like, oh, my God, we love that. And then tell us, what was it like watching you were in Tampa for the women's national championship and watched your alma mater win? What was that like, watching UConn win this past season?

[Choma]

Honestly? Great. So UConn, they hadn't won since I left, so that was, like, a pressure, you know? Like, I didn't want that on me anymore, but I was really confident in Paige and her knowing, you know, it's her senior year, she wants to go out on top, and she just kind of took matters into her own hands for that one and really happy to celebrate with them, cheer them on, and, like, just congratulate them all for winning. Because it's hard, you know, like, sometimes when you win a lot, people take it for granted. And especially at UConn, like, there's a dynasty there, whether you want to admit it or not. Like, the amount of national championships is like no other. So for them to kind of get back into their groove and get back on top is great to see.

[Brianna Stewart]

Yes. And for the less familiar, the page she was speaking of is Paige Beckers, who also went to UConn, just won the national championship and was the first pick in the WNBA draft, who's now playing for the Dallas Wings.

[Choma]

Yep. Now she's a frenemy.

[Brianna Stewart]

Now she's a frenemy.

[Guest]

Yeah. Are you excited for your game against Dallas?

[Choma]

Yeah, I mean, I don't know when.

[Brianna Stewart]

We play Dallas, I think it's in August.

[Choma]

Like, not for a while.

[Brianna Stewart]

Yeah.

[Choma]

I'm more on a week by week schedule.

[Brianna Stewart]

Right.

[Choma]

So I know this is to travel to Chicago and Indy.

[Brianna Stewart]

All right.

[Choma]

And then we come back.

[I]

Bonjour. It's Richard Lawson, chief critic at Vanity Fair and co host of Little Gold Men. The Cannes Film Festival is just around the corner and we're packing our mics to bring you fresh daily updates straight from the French Riviera. We'll kick off on Monday, May 19, sharing our takes on world premieres, giving you the inside scoop on red carpet moments, recapping exclusive parties and more. Follow Little Gold Men and tune in every day from Monday, May 19 through Friday, May 23 to hear all about the biggest moments at Canneso.

[Guest]

You and your family live here in Brooklyn. How do you like it?

[Choma]

We love Brooklyn. Like, like I said, I was in Seattle before this, so Marta, myself and Ruby and Stu, our dog. So I named. I named my dog after me, which is a little bit weird, but he's my junior.

[Guest]

What kind of dog is he?

[Choma]

He's an Aussie doodle mini.

[Guest]

Oh, my God.

[Choma]

And Marta likes to tell everyone. She's like, if I was here when you got the dog, his name wouldn't be Stu. And I was like, but you weren't. So that's why we had.

[Guest]

Did she have a name in her back pocket that she would have chosen? She's like, not Stu.

[Choma]

No.

[Guest]

Literally anything else.

[Choma]

You know, like when you have a dog or a pet or whatever, you can't see any other name for them than what they have. So sue is great, but we love Brooklyn. It's like slow, fast, you know what I mean? Like, Manhattan is like crazy. Brooklyn is a little bit more chill, but we still have crazy.

[Guest]

Yeah.

[Choma]

And it's neighborhood vibe, but there's always something going on.

[Guest]

What do you guys like to do in your free time? In your abundance of free time, I'm sure.

[Choma]

Yeah, I'm having so much free time. Most like, most recently, what Martin and I like to do is we go to Air Bath House.

[Guest]

Oh, yeah, I just went.

[Brianna Stewart]

Nice.

[Choma]

I love it there. The new one, it's like a little home. The floating pool, you know, everybody needs a spa day.

[Brianna Stewart]

Absolutely. I'm a big fan of a spa day.

[Choma]

And then with the kids, we probably would just, like, go to a park, you know, maybe go to Dumbo Be by the Water or the zoo? We're big zoo people. Okay. Hopefully everyone's all right with that. But I'm like, I got three. I got three year old and a one year old.

[I]

Yeah.

[Choma]

And we want to go.

[Guest]

They love the zoo.

[Choma]

Yeah.

[Guest]

Dinosaur safari.

[Choma]

Yes, the dinosaurs. They love that.

[Guest]

Switching gears.

[Choma]

I mean, I loved it.

[Guest]

Yeah. So this was your first time attending the Met Gala. Can you give us some intel on your night?

[Choma]

My night at the Met Gala was incredible. I think that the whole time I was like, I have no idea what's going to happen because you really don't know. You never hear about what happens. You just like, get ready, like, this is the theme and this is what you're going to get dressed up as. And I'm like, all right, cool. But there's so many more, like, minute details into it. The fact that we were able to go to the Met with Clara and Sab, JJ and I just as, like, four powerful women was really, really cool. And then having clothes designed by Sergio Hudson, like, everybody having a piece that looked specific to what they would wear just felt like really authentic. And then we were styled by Courtney Mays, and just an incredible night. Like, we were able to just go above and beyond what you normally do, you know, like, whether it's the glam or the outfits or like my little. I don't even know what to call that thing, like that little.

[Brianna Stewart]

A kiss curl.

[Choma]

A kiss curl. Yes. I felt like I should have been in the Great Gatsby.

[Brianna Stewart]

Yes, I feel you.

[Choma]

I was in this, like, all cream suit, like, longer pants. I'm obviously tall, so I'm longer pants. Like this sparkly button up underneath with the suit with, like, the longer trench coat over it. And then I had this cream hat and cream boots, this very fancy AP watch on my wrist, and a whole bunch of other accessories. But it just went really good together. There was like a last minute debate on if my hat needed to be black or cream. I think it's good that it was cream.

[Guest]

I think you guys made the right choice.

[Choma]

I like that I was all cream.

[Cho Minardi]

Yeah.

[Guest]

I think it was the right call. Well, you say that you never hear stories about the Met Gala behind the scenes, so can you share any with us?

[Choma]

I don't know. Am I allowed to?

[Brianna Stewart]

Yeah, absolutely.

[Guest]

It's about podcasts. Of course you can.

[Brianna Stewart]

Yeah. It's our party. Tell us about it.

[Choma]

All right, so basically, so cool, like, you get there and you get dropped off and you're on the red. The red carpet, but it was blue, right?

[Brianna Stewart]

Yes. It was blue this year.

[Choma]

Yeah. And it moves pretty quick. So I thought it was going to be a lot more stairs. Not as many stairs as I thought because they were like, are you gonna be okay going upstairs? I'm like. I think, like, I don't know how many stairs. It's gonna be like a hundred. Like, how many stairs?

[Guest]

Like, winded by the top.

[Choma]

You know, you don't see anyone crouched over ever halfway through. So you go up the stairs, then you go in. And I've actually never been to the Met before.

[Guest]

Wow.

[Choma]

Like, the museum itself.

[Guest]

Oh, my God, what a great first time it was. Yeah.

[Chloe Mel]

Yeah.

[Choma]

I think that's gonna make a lasting first impression. I do need to go back and, like, take it all in in more comfy shoes.

[Guest]

Yeah. You're like, where's the performance?

[Choma]

But to have, like, the. The band when you walk in, leading you up to more stairs. And then meeting Anna, Pharrell, Lewis Hamilton, and ASAP Rocky. ASAP Rocky Colman, Domingo. I didn't see A$AP up there, so I think it was just Coleman.

[Guest]

He was fashionable.

[Brianna Stewart]

Oh, yes.

[Choma]

Sorry. He's Puma. We like him.

[Guest]

We love.

[Choma]

We love po. So, yes, we are all good over here. Like, just meeting them at the top was really inspiring because it's so many successful people from all different fields coming together, and then they kind of lead you in and you go through. Am I supposed to tell all this stuff? Are you?

[Guest]

Whatever you want to tell us.

[Choma]

But you go through the museum, and then you're able to see, like, the. The exhibit tailored to the theme of superfly. Super fine black tailoring, which I think is special in its own right. And that's still up or no.

[Brianna Stewart]

Yeah. The Met Gala is, like, the official opening of the exhibit, so it's going to be open through October.

[Choma]

Yeah. I'm going to go back. And then you go in and you have, like, you mingle. Cocktail hour, whatever.

[Brianna Stewart]

Did you have a cocktail?

[Choma]

Yes, I did.

[Brianna Stewart]

Which one did you have? Did you have the tequila?

[Choma]

I had the tequila one. The, like, pink one?

[Brianna Stewart]

Yes. Delish.

[Choma]

Yeah. That was great. And then. Am I supposed to tell all these things.

[Guest]

Yeah. That people want to know.

[Choma]

So I'm like. Because I feel like it's. Brianna.

[Brianna Stewart]

I'll see Brianna. The Met Gala is kept under very, very, very tight wraps until it takes place, at which point, you know, vote for all. We cover it exclusively. And, you know, we have stories about it on the website, but we love hearing more stories.

[Choma]

Okay, so I'm not. I'm not going to get a child by.

[Guest]

This isn't the base. You're not going to get me.

[Choma]

I'm like, I want to go back. So if I'm doing an unwritten rule, like, no, no, no, no.

[Guest]

We're not tricking you.

[Brianna Stewart]

We're not tricking you. Not going to get in trouble.

[Choma]

But then there's, like, trumpets and band and, like, music playing, and that means it's time to go to the dining hall or whatever. And from there, you're able to mingle with, meet more people that are at your table or just in general. And to top it off, it was Usher and Stevie Wonder crazy. Yeah, that was cool. Stevie Wonder part was, like, incredible.

[Guest]

That's insane.

[Choma]

That was like goosebumps.

[Brianna Stewart]

Absolutely. All right. Two very important questions for me. So I also am quite tall. I'm six one, so tall. Woman to tall woman. Can you tell me where do you like to shop? Where do you find all these fabulous outfits that fit?

[Choma]

Right now I'm, like, getting a lot of jeans from Ateco.

[Brianna Stewart]

Okay.

[Choma]

Jeans, cargo pants. Like, love that because it has the length. You know, there's a time where things need to be short and you wear the loafers and. But there's also time, like, cover my ankles, please.

[Brianna Stewart]

Yes, yes.

[Choma]

I feel you.

[Brianna Stewart]

I feel you.

[Choma]

I am. I'm a big Marnie fan, just because I think that you're. I'm able to kind of like, buy from both the. The men's and the women's section a little bit just from, like, the length of my arms and. And things like that. Where else am I shopping at?

[Brianna Stewart]

And, you know, I feel like a lot of Marnie fans do that. I see a lot of men and also a lot of NBA players wearing Marnie knits that were on the women's Runway and vice versa.

[Choma]

Yeah, I feel like. I feel like fashion is pretty fluid, you know, like, people are. Should be able to wear things in different ways and, like, make it more masculine and make it more feminine just by everything else that you're putting on with it.

[Brianna Stewart]

Yeah, absolutely.

[Choma]

I can always go to Nordstrom and find something, like, if I need. If I'm in a pinch, Nordstrom saves lives.

[Brianna Stewart]

Do you go to. Do you go to Nordstrom on 57th or in the city?

[Choma]

Not as much. So when I was in Seattle.

[Brianna Stewart]

Right.

[Choma]

The hometown Nordstrom all the time.

[Brianna Stewart]

Nordstrom hq.

[Guest]

It's a little hard to get to Nordstrom from Brooklyn.

[Choma]

I do take the subway, though.

[Guest]

Yeah. But.

[Brianna Stewart]

Yeah. All right. And the playoffs are going on right now, so do you have A prediction. Your prediction. Is it gonna be the New York Knicks, Indiana, OKC or the Timberwolves? Who do we think is winning it all? Yes. Who do you think is going to win it all?

[Choma]

Winning it all. I'm in New York. I'm going with that.

[Brianna Stewart]

Let's go.

[Guest]

That's right.

[Brianna Stewart]

Let's go. All right.

[Choma]

We're in New York.

[Brianna Stewart]

Exactly.

[Guest]

We have to have some faith in ourselves.

[Brianna Stewart]

We do. Brianna, thank you so much for chatting with us.

[Choma]

Thank you guys so much for coming honestly to my space.

[Guest]

Yeah.

[Choma]

To have this convo.

[Guest]

Thank you so much.

[Choma]

Thank you, guys.

[Advertiser]

That's it for the show today. See you Tuesday.

[Chloe Mel]

The Run through is produced by Chelsea Daniel, Alex DePalma and Joanna Solotarov. It's engineered by Jake Loomis, Luke Moseley and James Yost. It is mixed by Mike Kutchman. Stephanie Karaoke is our executive producer. And Chris Bannon is Conde Nast's head of global audio. Hi, I'm Chloe mel, editor of Vogue.com.

[Cho Minardi]

And I'm Cho Manardi, head of editorial content at British Vogue.

[Advertiser]

Our show the Run through takes you behind the scenes at Vogue.

[Cho Minardi]

Yes. With two episodes every week, you'll find out what's really happening inside the world of fashion and culture.

[Advertiser]

Every Tuesday, hear from Nicole Phelps, global director of Vogue Runway and Vogue business, as she discusses the latest fashion news and speaks to designers and industry leaders that Vogue editors can't stop talking about.

[Choma]

There's so much shake ups happening in fashion. I'm curious what you think of this moment. Ooh, I am here with Marc Jacobs. Longevity is something we talk about a lot. It's not easy to achieve.

[Guest]

How does it feel this moment?

[Choma]

I have so much to say on this subject.

[Cho Minardi]

And on Thursday, you'll hear from the two of us, Chloe Marle and Cho Minardi, as we share our thoughts on fashion through the lens of culture. From the Oscars to the Met gala. Plus conversations with the biggest stars right now. Tyler, congratulations on your first Vogue cover.

[Guest]

Thank you.

[Choma]

Oh, my God.

[Advertiser]

Join us to get your bi weekly fashion and culture news.

[Cho Minardi]

Listen to the Run through with Vogue every Tuesday and Thursday.

[Advertiser]

Wherever you get your podcasts.

[Brianna Stewart]

From prx.