← The Who What Wear Podcast
The Who What Wear Podcast
Go Sports! Athlete Stylists Brittany Hampton and Manny Jay on Dressing WNBA It Girls, and Why It's More Than Picking Out Clothes
00:36:10
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- [00:00]
Brittany Hampton
Foreign.
- [00:11]
Hilary Kerr
Welcome to the who what Wear podcast, your direct line to the designers, stylists, beauty experts, editors and tastemakers who are shaping the ever evolving world of fashion. I'm who It Wears Co founder and Chief Content officer Hilary Kerr. And today I'm passing the mic to our senior fashion editor, Eliza Huber. Eliza writes our incredible Go Sports features where she dives into the intersection of sports and fashion. And today she's sitting down with two of the top stylists working with athletes today, Brittany Hampton and Manny J. Brittany has been styling in the sports arena for years and her impressive client roster includes Sabrina Unescu, Cameron Brink, and Paige Beckers. She frequently collaborates with Nike, runs her own creative agency, and most recently became the Golden State Valkyries fashion strategist. Manny started his styling career learning from the best, including Patricia Field and Law Roach before going off on his own to style musicians like Trippie, Redd and Tink. Manny got into WNBA styling recently through his partnership with Skylar Diggins Smith, and he also recently launched his own podcast, Stage Styling My Way Through. There's so much to cover, from the true impact of tunnel fits to prepping for the WNBA All Star Weekend. It's all coming up on who what Where?
- [01:45]
Eliza Huber
Manny and Brittany, welcome to the podcast.
- [01:48]
Brittany Hampton
Hi.
- [01:49]
Manny J
Thank you for having us.
- [01:50]
Eliza Huber
Of course, I'm a huge fan of both of you, but for those in our audience who aren't following your work quite as closely, Brittany is a creative director, designer and stylist who's worked with stars across the sports world, including Sabrina Ionescu, Cameron Brink, Evan Mobley, Paige Beckers, and Nika Mule. Manny is newer to styling athletes, but certainly not to styling. He's worked with musicians like Mona, Leo, Trippie, Redd, and Tinker, and most recently teamed up with two time league fits MVP Skyler Diggins ahead of the 2025 WNBA season. So I want to start at the beginning. Manny, do you remember when you first realized that you wanted to be a stylist and how did you go about pursuing it as a career and building your portfolio of clients?
- [02:38]
Manny J
I think I kind of started when I first was shopping on my own. My parents gave me the free will to shop when I was like 8 or 9. Just like pick out whatever you want, we're just going to buy it. So that led to like me picking out my fits and then my sister being like, well, I like what you're wearing. How about you pick out my fits? So I started doing that. That led to like my mom being like, well, you gotta pick out my fits. Too. So that was something that I naturally was just doing all the time. Then I started going into, like, my friendships. And then my friends would be like, back to school shopping. Can you come with me to go back to school shopping? And I'd be like, sure. And I'd be picking out their fits. What ended up happening in my life was I ended up getting cancer right after I graduated when I was 19. At that time, I didn't know what wanted to do. I knew I didn't want to go to college, but I was like, if I beat this or when I beat this, I want to pursue something that would be, like, ideally a dream. I ended up going into remission, and then at 20, I was pretty much in the clear. I met some friends on MySpace at the time, Coco and Breezy. And we just became really good friends. And they were like, hey, you know what you're doing with your friends and what you're doing back home, that's styling. You can get paid for that. That's a career. You should move to New York. I have friends that are making a lot of money doing this and are really fulfilled. And I was like, you know what? That sounds like my calling. I think I'm gonna try to do that. And coming from a small town like Lancaster, Pennsylvania, that was a big deal. No one really left home. So me moving to New York and just kind of assisting wherever I could work, I was just there brick by brick. I was building something for myself and making connections. I was pretty much manifesting it. I was like, I'm a big time stylist. Even though I didn't even know I was a stylist till the day I moved to New York.
- [04:13]
Eliza Huber
You know, I love that all it takes is sometimes just someone being like, this is what you're already doing. You're already doing this, and it just clicks into place.
- [04:21]
Brittany Hampton
Yeah, I feel like that's how a lot of our starts happen. Because I could kind of say the same thing, honestly. It's like styling ended up being within family first and then friends. It's like you lean into what you know you're good at. Like, designing was so easy for me because my grandmother was a designer. But then becoming a stylist was like, how do I challenge myself? And then how do I do it for people that I know and love and people that I don't necessarily know? And how do we define who they are as characters in this world? So, yeah.
- [04:51]
Manny J
Yeah.
- [04:52]
Eliza Huber
I'm so curious. Like, you started out designing Brittany. When did that switch happen? That you were like, okay, we're gonna change this up.
- [05:01]
Brittany Hampton
So I've been designing since I was a kid. Like, my chores as kids weren't regular chores. Like, I didn't get to wash dishes. I didn't pull out the vacuum cleaner. Like, my grandmother was always, like, pick needles at a carpet. So when it came down to, like, me being above age, my grandmother always taught me that if I skip something, I had to physically sew it, which stopped me from sketching because eventually I was like, I don't want to sketch anymore then. But I found myself in high school still sketching, where, you know, you might be not paying attention in class and just doodling away. And there were girls that were in my class that were like, hey, could you design my prom dress? That was a time when, like, Heatherette and Betsey Johnson were like, the go tos.
- [05:40]
Manny J
Right, right.
- [05:41]
Brittany Hampton
And so MySpace, clearly, we're showing our age mandate.
- [05:44]
Manny J
Millennials. We're millennials here.
- [05:47]
Brittany Hampton
So MySP, the time was really big on finding the new up and coming artists, and I had that platform to kind of showcase that I was a designer and made a couple girls prom dresses, and it kind of went viral. Like, I was making dresses for girls in Houston and in LA and just hand doing it and then mailing it out. I had a brand called Dolls Couture. It's so funny. I had a girl walk up to me one night and was like, you made my dress? And I was like, that's, wow, Insane. And so going from that into styling, moving to la, I was working for fashion shows, Runway shows, and LA was the closest for me. So it was always easy to be, like, a backstage dresser and then end up leading into styling.
- [06:32]
Eliza Huber
I feel like everyone who got into social media early is so successful now. It's like, that was the ultimate. You hear that about YouTube a lot. If you leaned into YouTube in the beginning, you were it. You're it.
- [06:43]
Manny J
That's right.
- [06:43]
Eliza Huber
Yeah. Yeah. Okay. So, Manny, you mostly styled musicians up until you met Skyler?
- [06:48]
Manny J
Yes.
- [06:48]
Eliza Huber
Was that intentional? And now that you've broken into the wnba, do you see yourself leaning more into sports in the future?
- [06:56]
Manny J
I kind of am a believer of manifesting. At one point, my manifestations were like, oh, I want to work with, like, Disney kids and up and coming talent. And then I was like, ooh, I want to do actresses. And then I started getting actresses manifesting that type of work. Then it was musicians, which I really enjoy because I get to be a little bit more creative. So that has been like the lane that I've been in for the last few years. Heavy. But just last year, I started saying to myself, I want to start doing tunnel walks at the top of the year. And by the end of the year, that's when I had met Skylar. So, yeah, I kind of manifested that, too. I love it. I think that there's so much opportunity within the sports styling world, and I've come to realize that a lot of brands love athletes as well. So that has been fun working with different brands that want to support. I can see myself doing a lot more sports styling, too.
- [07:42]
Brittany Hampton
And there's different sports. I feel like the best thing that I've even recognized is it's like I started in the wnba, but then I was like, wait a second. There's tennis, and I have Sloane Stevens, and there's Jess Sims, who does peloton. Like, there's so many different athletes that you're kind of just like, oh, wow, this is insane.
- [07:59]
Eliza Huber
How do you approach them all differently when it's different sports? Do you have to research a ton into the sport or, like, how does that work?
- [08:06]
Brittany Hampton
It is actually funny. I tell people all the time, I'm like, don't ask me. Stats. I don't know Stats. I, like, barely even have time to really catch a game. But to be honest with you, mainly it's because of body types. Like, we constantly go into different silhouettes, and as stylists, we have to start draping pieces on our clients. I think for us, it was like, okay, how do I fit my mold into every different sport and every different athlete, but be able to really identify who they are and then be able to, like, bring them the things that they need to be their person.
- [08:35]
Eliza Huber
I mean, one of my favorite things about sports and fashion is the history. And, like, there's so many cool athletes through history that just have really rolled up to their sport in the coolest looks, whether that's on the court or off it.
- [08:48]
Brittany Hampton
And seeing the old school tunnel walks, too. Like, they were insane. Like, seeing Jordan seeing, like, Allen Iverson just, like, Dennis Rodman really pull up. It's like, oh, my gosh. Like, they were fashion gods.
- [09:00]
Eliza Huber
I love it.
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Brittany Hampton
Here we are repeating history, but fashion always repeats itself, so it works out completely.
- [09:05]
Eliza Huber
Brittany, you've been a staple in the sports world for a while now in different leagues and different levels, but it seems like women's basketball and the W now specifically are your biggest styling markets. What, to you, makes this space so fulfilling and these women so fun to work with?
- [09:23]
Brittany Hampton
Yeah, so it's actually funny. It's a unique story. I think that we see youth differently. Right. I think it's because we've been in their shoes to be able to identify with who they are and help mold them into who they're about to become, especially stepping into their power. I think that's been, like, my main stance. I think getting Paige was one thing, and then being with her through her career, when she tore ACL and she became the comeback kid. And, like, you put your faith in these kids, that really helps kind of define who they are and then who you are to them as their mentor. And they like to call me their auntie, and I love that.
- [09:59]
Manny J
I love that.
- [09:59]
Brittany Hampton
And so the same thing came about with all the other UConn girlies that I got to support. I've got Cam now, and then the Asias and the Kelsey Plums and, you know, the DTs of the world. I've gotten to work with literally any and everyone. I take their perspectives as very unique. But then I try to redefine the younger girls and the rookies and really just be able to help them and lead them into their way.
- [10:23]
Eliza Huber
I feel like you need the same thing you're doing for the Valkyries at UConn. You're, like, made UConn into a fashion destination.
- [10:31]
Brittany Hampton
I have.
- [10:32]
Manny J
That's so dope.
- [10:33]
Eliza Huber
I love it. The WNBA has grown so much in the last few years, and you've seen it through the whole timeline. How have you seen the relationship between fashion, the league and its stars change and adapt with that growth?
- [10:49]
Brittany Hampton
I think that it's all about impact. Right, Manny? I think that, like, because we've worked with celebrities at all capacities. Right. We've worked with artists, we've worked with actors, musicians. We see a different star power that these women carry.
- [11:01]
Manny J
Yeah.
- [11:01]
Brittany Hampton
That they are now stepping into a different portion of marketing that allows them to do what they are finally allowed to do. For example, they're just now flying private via Delta and the wnba, they weren't before. They were flying commercial, and people didn't know that they were sharing rooms, doing the things that the NBA doesn't necessarily allow their players to do. Right. So they're starting to get that momentum and starting to get the same same things that the other players are getting. It's for us to try to figure out what those marketing avenues are, what brands are going to be approachable and how they can help and continue to put value into these players.
- [11:39]
Manny J
Well said.
- [11:40]
Eliza Huber
Manny, you mentioned this, like, how many more brands you're seeing that are really into dressing athletes for the W. Brands are reaching out to you. Brands are reaching out to your clients. How have you seen that grow? And if there are any brands that you've found that are just so invested in the sport and these women.
- [11:57]
Manny J
I came into the styling world of sports with a client that already had a name for herself. I found it that brands, they were like, okay, yes, yes, but I can't speak for other people and how brands have treated them. I'd be more interested in you, Brittany. How have you over the years grown into like building those relationships with those brands?
- [12:14]
Brittany Hampton
It's funny because you do have the key girls, like you have Skylar and you have Rekia and I just started working with too on like another project that we have. And to be honest with you, it is different. Like there are brands that are still out there saying no, it's not necessarily that they don't want to support. It's they may not have the size ranges. We're dealing with girls that are far over 6 foot far over. They may not have a size 13, size 14 shoe. But when it comes down to the brands that are willing to support, there's a range of them, there's emerging designers who want that opportunity to showcase what they have, which we love going for because honestly, they support, support us too in all of our fields. But then you look at the bigger ones too, like Coach, for example, who obviously teamed up with the WNBA and who would have thought that like a luxury company who's defined as leather goods would be able to support in that capacity. But it all makes sense, right? Because they also define each and every single girl. So it brings back that nostalgic type of feel of who that younger rookie is. And then it brings it into like the wnba. But then you also have ones like Stuart Weitzman, who is very much that higher end luxury brand shoe wear that wants to be able to revolve and forward, of course, all over the globe. So they want to be able to support in any capacity. So it's been nice.
- [13:34]
Eliza Huber
I loved Coach at the draft. I feel like every single girl had a different look that felt really fitting to their personal style, which can be tricky, you know, like with one brand it can end up all the people look the same. But it was so individualistic. I loved the tiny details in everyone's look. It was just great to see.
- [13:53]
Brittany Hampton
Yeah, they worked really closely with us with Paige and she was in the championship that entire week. And so it was like putting her in front of all of that and Then getting swatches to her for the first time. She was like, what should I do? And I was like, I want you to pick. I'm also that auntie that I'm like, you need to pick. I want you to think about what makes you look great.
- [14:12]
Eliza Huber
So do you feel like you're like that with all of your clients? Because I feel like some W players that I talk to are like, I don't want to really think about it. Getting dressed for the tunnel can stress me out. Actually, my stylist is there to make my life easier, you know, like, or do you want your clients to really have a hands on approach and make decisions like that?
- [14:30]
Brittany Hampton
How do you deal with that, Manny?
- [14:32]
Manny J
I'm lucky because Skylar, like, is really easy. As long as it's fly, she's good.
- [14:37]
Eliza Huber
Love it.
- [14:37]
Manny J
So how I make it a little bit more collaborative with her is because I don't do in person fittings. I usually just ship her stuff. I already have a photo of the look. I go on Pinterest, cut it out, put it on a board for her. I and I'll give her like three shoe options, three bag options. And I'm like, girl, you can't go wrong. Because I like either shoe with this look or either bag with this look. So that kind of feels a little collaborative to me because sometimes I'm surprised. I'm like, oh, she shows that shoe with that bag. Okay, cool.
- [15:01]
Brittany Hampton
I love that. And honestly, it's the same way. Like, don't get me wrong, there are some that are like, I really want to get dressed like the Nikas of the world. I tell people all the time, nika, is that it? Girl, period. She will send me seven pages of a mood board. These are the seven looks that I'm going for. These are the glasses that I want with it. And it really is that collaborative effort. I showcase different brands to her that maybe she may not necessarily know, but she's really intrigued by them and she wants to get to know them. And then you have the ones like Sabrina and Paige who are just like, sometimes I just want to get my head into the game. And I'm like, you know what? You do that. Let's bring up that Nike little and let's make sure it's a good fit.
- [15:40]
Manny J
Right, right, right, right. Period.
- [15:43]
Eliza Huber
I've been loving all of Sabrina's Bottega bags.
- [15:45]
Brittany Hampton
Same I tell her all the time, I'm like, girl, just let me borrow something.
- [15:49]
Eliza Huber
That white andiamo is like so good.
- [15:52]
Brittany Hampton
She's killing it. One of her favorite colors this season is that butter yellow that everyone's obsessed with. I can't wait.
- [15:58]
Eliza Huber
That version of the andiamo in the butter yellow is the dreamiest bag. Love it. Manny, I want to talk about Skylar. Like, how did you two meet and her being such a veteran presence in the tunnel. What is it like working with someone who has such an established understanding of their personal style?
- [16:16]
Manny J
So my agent, she set it up so that I could style skylar for the F1 event. Last year, towards it was, like, probably September, and I already knew about Skylar. I'm not big on sports, but Skylar was a name that millennials knew. She was, like, the first baddie. So I had been doing my research. I was like, okay, so she's really respected in the tunnel. I only had to style her for one look for the F1 event.
- [16:39]
Eliza Huber
I know the one.
- [16:40]
Manny J
Yeah. The black. All black. Yeah. But I bought about six or eight racks of clothes just because I was like, you know what? I want to show her clothes that she might not wear tonight, but she might want to wear in the future. More options. I don't got to sweat it. I'm like, okay, something's got to work. She went through all the racks. She came in. Her energy was good and cool, and she was just excited to try on clothes, and she was just loving everything. She was like, yo, I got to wear this for a tunnel. Let's do this tonight. But I would love to see you for the unrivaled tunnel season, which was the first season I worked with her. Yeah. The rest was kind of history. I already knew, like, just by doing my research, her style, how she loves suiting sets and things of that nature. My vision coming in was just like, yo, let's make you more Runway. Let's get you into more, like, brands and stuff. I want to see you at the Met Gala. I want to see you doing campaigns, because I think that, you know, with her history of fashion, she's going to be more visible. And let's get more editorial stuff going. Let's try to, like, turn up the notch.
- [17:31]
Eliza Huber
You know, I loved all the Ferrari looks during unrivaled. And then that off white look in the W, that was like, oh, good. Obsessed.
- [17:39]
Brittany Hampton
Yeah. That also showcases our role in this too. Right. It's like, we're not just bringing them clothes. We're not shoppers. We're actual, like, image curators. You want them to get that outreach from the brands and from the editorials to really push. It's like, these girls are who they need to be.
- [17:57]
Manny J
I'm like, skylar, you're exactly who you think you are, girl. So let's go.
- [18:00]
Brittany Hampton
And she's playing like a beat. Exactly.
- [18:03]
Eliza Huber
She's one of my favorite players to watch on court because her personality shows so much. She's so fun to watch.
- [18:10]
Brittany Hampton
And then to know that she's a mom.
- [18:12]
Manny J
Off.
- [18:12]
Brittany Hampton
I'm like, oh, my gosh.
- [18:13]
Manny J
Like, how she does it, man. I'm like, how do you train, Play mom, travel, model. Model. Yup.
- [18:22]
Eliza Huber
Okay. Well, we talked about the Met Gala, but I have to ask Brittany. A few members of the 2024 championship winning New York Liberty, including your client Sabrina, attended fashion's biggest night. And we're creative directed by Courtney Mays, another amazing singer, sports stylist. What was that process like to work with Courtney and to work with Sabrina for that night?
- [18:43]
Brittany Hampton
It was great beyond words, honestly. Like, such a collaborative moment. She got asked by the New York Liberty to obviously dress them. And so for Courtney, it was, how do we do this? How do we partner with this? Working with Sergio was just a blast. Like, Sergio, Sergio. Everyone knows he's a personality within himself. And to know that he played the part as if he was only dressing the four of them whenever we were together. And then the Met came out and you were like, how many people did. It was almost 10. It was insane.
- [19:10]
Eliza Huber
You gotta imagine one is so hard.
- [19:12]
Brittany Hampton
So hard. It's crazy. And he came in and he brought them gifts on the day of, made sure that they all looked the part. Like, it was such an experience for Sabrina. Cause that was her first met. And honestly, I wouldn't change anything for the world. She looked great. Body looked tea, period. Yeah.
- [19:29]
Eliza Huber
So good. Speaking of carpets, you effortlessly pulled off an outfit change for Paige at the draft. Working with both coach and Louis Vuitton for her big night, it was always, I feel like gonna be hard to outdo her all white LV look from the year before, but you guys made it look easy. Can you walk us through the inspiration behind those two looks? And also kind of that LV look. The first one, the white one, like, how did that come together?
- [19:57]
Brittany Hampton
So for Nika's draft year, which was 20, 24 year, obviously Paige wanted to go as her guest. Right. And so we knew we didn't want to do an overkill. Obviously, social media made it way bigger than it was. She looked fab. And we had a photo shoot in the bathtub, period. But as one does, we say it all the time. That was her LeBron Draft Day moment. Like, that was her I'm the comeback kid, and you guys are going to have something to watch this year. And that's what we wanted to shine through. So when I saw that all white suit at lv, I was like, that's it. And I sent it to her, and she was like, bro. And that's like her favorite word. And I always tell people, I'm like, I wish the Internet could see that first picture ever, because she was at practice. And so she tried it on. On the court. Manny, all white. All white on the court. Sent me a photo. Wasn't tailored. Dragged him on the floor. I said, it'll work.
- [20:48]
Manny J
Oh, my God.
- [20:49]
Brittany Hampton
Put it back in the bag.
- [20:50]
Manny J
Exactly.
- [20:52]
Brittany Hampton
And she was like, I love it.
- [20:54]
Eliza Huber
You're like, I'm putting a lock on these from now on.
- [20:56]
Brittany Hampton
Yep, yep, yep, yep. But, you know, I think that moment helped capitalize what we were able to get in terms of all brands. Right. Leading up into her last college season and then obviously leading up to her own draft moment, Coach was obviously someone we knew was going to be partnered with the wnba. So we wanted to be that standout moment for her going up as number one draft pick. Her red carpet moment. We knew we were going to have to talk to every single publication and do all the interviews. We wanted that rock and roll girl moment when she really stepped out like a badass. You know, she was decked out in cascading rhinestones. On the actual garment, which was fly, she wore a three piece, which a lot of people didn't know because it was oversized, but it really, like, spoke to who she was. Then we worked with Kay Jewels, and they did a bunch of all black jewelry that really, like, kind of defined who she was in a masculine perspective. She didn't want the dainty jewelry. We brought in that black jewelry that usually men wear to the draft, and so we brought that in. She did black nails. And then the LV look that we transitioned to her going on stage was a big request that came through. We constantly talk about how brands say yes and no to different pull requests. And so when I went out to LV the first time, they said, we'll offer women's. I said, not what we're looking for. We're talking about Paige Beckers here. You can't give her crop tops and bralettes and corsets and gowns. She's not going to wear that. So I went back out for a second request, and it was ignored. I went back out for a third request. They said, we'll see what we can do. I said, I'm going to Pharrell, period. Our relationships are our relationships. Right. Like, thankfully, we have them. And so I didn't push, but I started to be like, it's the week of draft. I know I need it. I know that's all that she wanted. So I was like, I'm gonna put the request out. And he said, absolutely.
- [22:49]
Manny J
That's dope.
- [22:49]
Eliza Huber
I loved the full circle of it that she wore LV again. To actually be drafted on the stage with everyone that she loves there watching and having watched her career come to be is just like. It was very emotional in that room when her name was called.
- [23:03]
Brittany Hampton
Yeah, it definitely was. And when she puts it on and it fits like a glove, I'm like, oh, she's my model.
- [23:08]
Eliza Huber
Yeah, I love it. Well, you and Paige have such a special connection. It almost reminds me of the Law Roach Zendaya.
- [23:16]
Brittany Hampton
We get that a lot.
- [23:17]
Eliza Huber
Yeah. You've started to work together so young and built something as a unit. Why do you think you work so well together?
- [23:23]
Brittany Hampton
I worked at Nickelodeon for a long time and worked with Ariana. Jennette McCurdy actually handed Ariana over to Law. Like, I called him personally myself and was like, I think you should take this one. But I think that it's a unique touch that we have to have to be able to work with children and young upcoming stars. You see it in their eyes, and you kind of just don't give up. And so, for me, I assisted Law when Law was dressing Zendaya in her early days, and to be able to see the gorilla style format that he had going into things and the belief that he had for her and everything that he instilled into her was just something that I felt like I always needed in a client. And so with Paige and I, we constantly lean on one another, so. So I think that that's kind of the relationship that you have to build. It's a true friendship.
- [24:07]
Eliza Huber
I love that you both worked with Law.
- [24:08]
Manny J
I was gonna say that.
- [24:09]
Brittany Hampton
Yeah.
- [24:10]
Manny J
That's crazy.
- [24:11]
Brittany Hampton
Crazy times.
- [24:13]
Manny J
I tell people all the time, that was Fashion Bootcamp. If you could do that, you could do anything.
- [24:17]
Brittany Hampton
You could do anything.
- [24:19]
Eliza Huber
I love it. Obviously, your clients learn so much from you, but I'm curious. You kind of mentioned that you and Paige are a unit for both of you. What are some things that your clients have taught you, whether that's related to fashion or just otherwise?
- [24:32]
Brittany Hampton
I mean, if I'm honest, I've got the girls that have really, truly came back, and I think they are constantly Teaching me, like Manny was just saying, like, they're moms. They are girls that put their bodies physically through so much on a day to day basis and they can still stand up for themselves. They're not getting paid the money that they should be getting paid, but they're valued at a certain perspective. And where they're valued currently is what we have to be there for, to amplify. And so I think that's our role to do that and that's our support system, is to be able to stand beside them.
- [25:08]
Eliza Huber
I love that.
- [25:09]
Manny J
I'll piggyback off of that too. Like working with the girls that I've already been fortunate to work with, I really realized these girls work their butts off. Yes, they need to get paid more. Just seeing how passionate they still are, how much they show up for themselves, how much they still believe, it's really inspiring to me. Regardless of the situation, if I'm passionate about it, I'm going to put my 100% in it. It pays off at the end, you know it does.
- [25:33]
Brittany Hampton
Listen, I have two currently inactive players that still come to me for advice, for consulting, for understanding of, like, who they are and who they should be defining themselves as off the court. It's important to stay with the community that you have. Also just be able to find yourself outside of basketball, because basketball isn't going to be forever. What does that look like long term? Nika may start a brand. Cam's going to continue with her podcast, rollout and modeling, and we're to continue to support in every capacity.
- [26:04]
Manny J
Exactly.
- [26:05]
Eliza Huber
I talk about this a lot. I feel like fashion is one of the best ways for athletes to leverage what they have right now and let it go forever. Like I always say that about Lewis. I feel like from kind of embracing fashion and his role in that space, he now has a career for the rest of his life as one of the most important tastemakers in the world. Yeah, in the world. And started completely as an athlete only. Okay, so I want to change course a little bit and talk to you guys about your endeavors outside of styling. Manny, what made you decide to start your new podcast? And what can our listeners expect to learn about you and your guests when they listen?
- [26:45]
Manny J
Yeah. So the birth of the podcast pretty much came from, like, I got cancer at 19, and then of course it relapsed at 29. The second time I went through it, it was kind of like at the height of my career. I had just finished assisting majority of my career and I was getting my own clients. So that Kind of, like, knocked me down. Right. I did a year in the hospital pretty much through, but every one or two months, I would get discharged for, like, a week or two, and randomly, people would call me for a job. So I continued to work throughout this whole year. And when I was in the hospital, no one would bother me, no one would call me, no one knew I was getting discharged. But the universe just bought me clients. I kind of believe that, like, fashion helped me beat the cancer. It gave me motivation. It kept me going. I knew that I had a bigger purpose because I'm like, why am I still here? I know my tool is clothes and making people feel good, but there's something more than that. So Styling My Way through is the podcast title. Kind of like Styling My Way Through Cancer. Styling My Way Through Life. And I think that we go through different seasons of life, and fashion, for me, has been something that I can, like, look back and think of what I wore, and I can remember my life at that time. I can remember a jacket and say, oh, my gosh. I remember feeling a certain way in this coat. And now on the podcast, I'm bringing in people that I've worked with, my clients from the past, other stylists, which. Brittany, I'm gonna get you on there one day.
- [28:03]
Brittany Hampton
Yes.
- [28:04]
Manny J
And we just talk about fashion in life. I think our industry is, like, everyone wants to portray this perfect version of themselves, but we're so much alike than we know. I just wanted to share those perspectives on that platform because I think people need to know.
- [28:16]
Eliza Huber
So beautiful. I love it.
- [28:17]
Brittany Hampton
We love the testimony.
- [28:19]
Manny J
Thank you. Yeah.
- [28:21]
Eliza Huber
I just feel like people outside of fashion think of it as this trivial thing, but it has so much power over your emotions and sports. A lot of these players say, a good outfit can change. The way that I play gives you so much confidence.
- [28:33]
Manny J
Skylar has told me. She was like, if I feel good, I play good. Like, that's just how it is.
- [28:38]
Brittany Hampton
Yeah. Especially because, like, in the beginning, I think there was so much scrutiny against it. Right. Like, there was so much. Well, maybe if you focused on your game and not what you wore that day, like, you'd be better. And it's like, no, I need to look good.
- [28:51]
Manny J
I need to know that I did that.
- [28:52]
Brittany Hampton
I need to look good and feel good. This is a me moment, right?
- [28:56]
Manny J
Exactly right.
- [28:57]
Eliza Huber
Brittany, you just started working with the Valkyries, the newest WNBA franchise based in your home city of San Francisco. What does that role entail?
- [29:06]
Brittany Hampton
It's a full circle moment. And they brought on the collective as community Music, fashion, and sports. And so I'm one of them as the fashion, which is really fun. I think that it's about understanding and communicating with them what their brand identity is. This being their first season in the league, we get to build something special. It's the first of a lifetime to be able to understand who the consumer is, who the fans are, and just being able to really mold what that next season is gonna look like. We're gonna try to do some collaborations. Obviously, Sephora is a really big brand of ours, and so the first thing that we did on opening game was Game Faces, and that brings in for Sephora, like, a moment of not even just beauty, but skincare, hair care, literally all across the board of who these players are. I came on board on day one, just getting really. The girls amped up and to understand that there is a community that's going to constantly support them through musicians, through actors, and listen, the Valkyries have sold out every single game this season, which is incredible. It's great to be a part of the organization.
- [30:09]
Eliza Huber
And they're playing their heads off, like, yes, amazing.
- [30:13]
Brittany Hampton
And who knew? You know? Who knew?
- [30:15]
Eliza Huber
Yeah. I love it. One of my favorite questions to hear from insiders in the sport is like, why do you think fans are so interested in what their favorite athletes wear before games? What does the tunnel add to the fan experience?
- [30:29]
Brittany Hampton
I would say accessibility. Like, it's marketing at its forefront. I tell my younger girls all the time, don't come to me if you want Bottega and this that in the world. Yes, it's great to have off white on the girls and off white supporting them, but you need to be accessible. Nika will gladly grab some Amazon glasses so that the girls can actually purchase them. We play with the highs and the lows, and we make sure that the fans know that because they want to look like them. It's the same thing with the boys and the girls. It's like they want to be able to see that shoe and be like, man, like, I want that. That's the old school Jordan effect. We were standing in lines for days, you know, trying to figure out if we can get that shoe, because he created it.
- [31:11]
Manny J
I think for me too, with fans and, like, the storytelling, learning from law with Skyler, we were able to do that kind of method dressing last season for unrivaled. I had mentioned we did, like, Lunar Owls. Why don't we do some silhouettes or, like, textures that feel like an owl? The first game this season for the W, she wore all white because she was starting fresh and new and clean. And so, like, we tell the story through the clothes too. And fans are so invested that some of them catch on.
- [31:37]
Brittany Hampton
So invested.
- [31:38]
Manny J
And sometimes we don't even dress methods per se, but a fan will relate it to something, and we'll be like, you know what? We like that story y' all just done ran with, so let's go with that one. Yep.
- [31:48]
Eliza Huber
That's the beauty of social media. Like, obviously. Obviously, there are pitfalls of it too, but getting to communicate with fans in that way is such a powerful thing.
- [31:56]
Manny J
It's fun.
- [31:57]
Brittany Hampton
I wish I had time to talk to all of them.
- [31:59]
Manny J
Right.
- [32:01]
Eliza Huber
Okay, so I just have a few quicker questions for you too. Kind of a lightning round of sorts. What trends and brands, if any, are you seeing pop up a lot in the tunnel?
- [32:12]
Manny J
I would say I see a lot of suiting. I've been seeing so much business looks, which I love. I feel like that's never gonna get old.
- [32:19]
Brittany Hampton
So it's that menswear effect too, where they're trying to mix the masculine and feminine looks I've seen a lot of. What else? Glasses. I feel like glasses are just a thing, and some players can pull it off, and some are just doing it to do it.
- [32:33]
Manny J
Yeah.
- [32:34]
Eliza Huber
I love, like, the Saint Laurent effect.
- [32:36]
Brittany Hampton
Yes.
- [32:38]
Eliza Huber
Are there any trends you can't stand or at least wouldn't dress your clients in for the tunnel?
- [32:43]
Manny J
I'm not big on a lot of logos on clothes, so, like, the overdo logo look, I mean, I think that's kind of whack.
- [32:51]
Brittany Hampton
That's a good one. That's a good one. Especially if they're not paying us. Like, if they're not paying you for a post, babe. Like, we're not.
- [32:57]
Manny J
Listen, y' all want her in that, and it's gonna have your promote from the top to the bottom.
- [33:02]
Brittany Hampton
It's gonna go on the budget.
- [33:03]
Manny J
Let's talk about it.
- [33:05]
Eliza Huber
I love it. Outside of your clients, who do you think are some of the best dressed players this season?
- [33:12]
Brittany Hampton
Oh, I mean, I gotta give it to Tiffany Hayes.
- [33:14]
Manny J
I would say Tiffany Hayes too.
- [33:16]
Brittany Hampton
I mean, Tiffany's killing it, and she's got her own line, so it's like that gives them that moment too, to kind of showcase what they're willing to bring to the table.
- [33:23]
Eliza Huber
I love Kate wearing her clothes. The team support is just like.
- [33:27]
Manny J
That's funny.
- [33:28]
Brittany Hampton
I love that because Kate doesn't get dressed either. Call me Kate, but she doesn't get dressed. But she's about her game, so I ain't even mad at it. I ain't even mad at it.
- [33:37]
Eliza Huber
Are there any brands that you'd like to see more in the tunnel?
- [33:41]
Manny J
I want to see more luxury brands. I feel like these girls spend their money there, so I would love to see more brand support. Some Runway looks. I would love to see more girls in Runway looks if they dress, you know, more masculine. I want to see the menswear on the tunnel, too. Females wearing it, no problem.
- [33:55]
Brittany Hampton
Absolutely. If we can do that androgynous on the Runway, we could do it on the tunnel walks.
- [34:00]
Manny J
That's right.
- [34:00]
Brittany Hampton
Pretty much the same thing.
- [34:01]
Eliza Huber
I just watched that Prada men show and I'm like, I want to see people in that.
- [34:05]
Brittany Hampton
Yeah, we want to see it.
- [34:06]
Manny J
We want to see the girls.
- [34:08]
Eliza Huber
Okay, final question. Following the partnership that saw Paige as well as Sonya, Anissa, Hailey and Keke become brand ambassadors for Coach, do you foresee more WNBA players becoming official faces for fashion houses like Wemby and Louis Vuitton or Alexander Saar and Versace?
- [34:28]
Brittany Hampton
No question. In due time. Caitlin being, you know, Prada right now is the start of it. If it were up to me, put her in a campaign. If y' all gonna do it, do it.
- [34:36]
Eliza Huber
I want Tyrese and Caitlin at Prada together, like, at the show. We'll connect again in a year when all of your clients, when all the.
- [34:44]
Brittany Hampton
Billboards on Sunset are literally, oh, yeah, sunset in Times Square. It's just going to be like that.
- [34:51]
Manny J
I love that.
- [34:52]
Eliza Huber
I love it. You guys, thank you so much. This has been so lovely. I really appreciate you coming on in mid season and it's crazy times.
- [34:59]
Brittany Hampton
It was a pleasure.
- [35:00]
Manny J
Thank you for having us.
- [35:07]
Hilary Kerr
A huge thank you to stylists Brittany Hampton and Manny J. Make sure to subscribe to our show wherever you listen to podcasts so you don't miss an episode. And while you're there, I'd also be so grateful if you'd rate and review us. If you have any guest suggestions or any other feedback, drop us a line at the end podcastwhowhatwear.com or you can find us on social @whowhatware. See you next Wednesday on the who what Where Podcast. This episode was produced by Hilary Kerr, Summer Hammeris, and Natalie Thurman. Our production assistant is Claire Schmidt. Our editor is Ko Takasuki Chernovin. Our audio engineers are at Glen Canyon Audio, and our music is by Jonathan Leahy.