MILAN (Sept. 20, 2024) – Off-White™ continues to evolve its future-forward legacy by announcing a new multi-year partnership with league-leading WNBA team, the New York Liberty, becoming the team’s first official style and culture curator and marking the brand’s first U.S. sports team partnership.
Sitting at the intersection of style, sport and culture in New York, the brands will join forces to launch a first-of-its-kind varsity jacket, release unique fashion capsules each season, drive authentic community programming and partner with Liberty players to celebrate Women’s History Month, Black History Month and Pride.
In addition to both brands being in the midst of paramount moments, with Off-White showing at NYFW for the first time and the Liberty’s pursuit for the franchise’s first championship, the brands have even larger synergies of shared values and vision. Off-White™ represents a catalyst for change in fashion and is in the business of building the future, creating platforms and giving voice to a community of young, groundbreaking talents and unique cultural forces. The Liberty are similarly disruptors in their space, at the forefront of an ascendent moment in time for women’s sport and breaking barriers with their unmatched ability to excel beyond basketball and cross into culture. The energy behind the team is electric, with a legion of loyal followers, a viral mascot and one of the most energized fanbases in sports.
"Off-White is a catalyst force for change, creating platforms and giving voice to a community of young radicals, groundbreaking talents and unique cultural forces. The New York Liberty are leading the change in the world of sports, demanding attention and being bold. Sport is evolving and women are making history by owning it. We are thrilled to partner with this inspiring team and create together a space that doesn't exist, by pushing the boundaries to create the future. For everyone.” said Off-White™ CEO, Cristiano Fagnani.
“WNBA players are being seen as style icons like never before, while also driving culture in previously unimagined ways,” said New York Liberty CEO, Keia Clarke. “This recent shift presents an optimal moment for the New York Liberty and Off-White to come together to push boundaries even further and create new experiences that blend sport, fashion and culture in authentic ways that transcend the basketball court.”
The partnership officially tips off Sunday, Sept. 22, tied to the team’s first 2024 playoff game at Barclays Center, with the reveal of a custom Off-White™ Varsity Jacket — featuring signature details reflecting each partner’s distinct DNA. A limited number of jackets will be available for fans to customize and pre-order at Barclays Center during select playoff games.
About Off-White c/o Virgil Abloh™
Established in 2013, Off-White™ is defining the grey area between black and white as a color. Under the brand name, seasonal men’s and women’s clothing collections, objects, furniture and publications articulate a current cultural vision. Collections are embedded in a recurrent backstory, with an emphasis on creating garments that have an identity by design. With a design studio based in Milan, Italy, the label harnesses the country’s history and craftsmanship, yet offers a global perspective on design and trends. With a clear vision of splicing the reality of how clothes are worn with the artistic expression of high-fashion, creative director and designer Virgil Abloh explored concepts in the realm of youth culture in the contemporary context.
About The New York Liberty
The New York Liberty was founded Oct. 30, 1996, and is one of three original franchises remaining in the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA). The Liberty have made five WNBA Finals appearances in its 27-year history and won the 2023 WNBA Commissioner’s Cup Championship. Owned by Joe and Clara Tsai, owners of the Brooklyn Nets, the Liberty play its home games at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center. For more information, please visit www.nyliberty.com.