by It’s been a big week in Caitlin Clark news. Not only did the Indiana Fever draft the Iowa player on Monday as the first pick, but she suddenly became a big hit on the fashion world’s radar by showing up for draft night in head-to-toe Prada, which she said was the first time the Italians. A player was dressed by a brand for the WNBA or NBA draft.
The look consisted of a white double satin shirt and skirt, an embroidered rhinestone mesh top, black brushed leather slingback pumps, a black Galleria handbag, and acetate sunglasses. She also wore John Hardy jewelry.
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Later in the week she was in her new hometown of Indianapolis for her first press conference as a Fever player, and she arrived for the occasionin Louis Vuitton: specifically, a crossover bust dress in wool silk cady, paired with a tuxedo jewel button . jacket with satin lapels, Pico GO-14 handbag with gold and silver tone studs and the brand’s Signature pump, with gold-tone monogram studs.
Behind both looks is Adri Zgirdea, a stylist who works with other athletes and who started working with Clark through her agency, Excel Sports (Zgirdea works with other Excel clients).
“I wanted to bring Caitlyn’s natural flair and bold playing style from the court to the orange carpet [at the WNBA draft],” Zgirdea says of her approach to styling Clark for the big night. “She already has a knack for attracting people through her confident game play, so she needs to take that bold energy and translate it into a look that reflects her personality, values and the moment. “
“For the WNBA draft, Caitlin and I talked about a look that was fresh, substantial and stayed true to her,” says Zgirdea. “I knew immediately that Prada was the perfect brand to help create a vibrant yet timeless look that was not only memorable, but a first.”
Being a “first person” was central to how Zgirdea thought about the brand he would work with for draft night.
“I always consider the personal story of my clients as they work on ‘look stones mile’ in their career. Caitlin is a record breaker in many ways, I knew the look had to be some kind of ‘first’ and Prada was my first thought,” she says. “I worked with the brand for a couple of male clients, and I had the most amazing experience. The ethos of the brand and Caitlin’s style were so fitting: true craftsmanship, substance over show. and they had no one dress for the draft: the stars really aligned.”
Regarding Louis Vuitton’s look at the press conference?
“LV is a brand that Caitlin loves, so it’s not a question of ‘if,’ but rather ‘when’ and ‘where,'” says Zgirdea.
Zgirdea is of Romanian and Serbian descent and immigrated to the US as a child. She’s always loved fashion, she says, but studied finance in college (“European parents, remember?” she says) before getting into fashion. Her background includes personal shopping, merchandising, management and purchasing. “Styling athletes came in very naturally,” she says, “because I had two friends in the sports industry, one at Priority Sports and the other at BDA Sports (which merged with WME).
She has worked with Josh Richardson of the Miami Heat, Zach Collins of the San Antonio Spurs, Corey Kisbert of the Washington Wizards, Nikola Jokić of the Denver Nuggets and more.
“It usually takes five years before a major fashion brand agrees to dress any athlete. They want to see players established and create buzz before they make the investment to work together,” Zgirdea says of her experience. “That makes Caitlin’s appearance at the WNBA draft exciting and groundbreaking, as it’s also the first time a player, male or female, has been dressed by Prada for the draft. This is a clear example that brands are paying attention, and there may be more players collaborating with major fashion brands in the future.”
That said, while Prada and Louis Vuitton were the first high-end brands Clark was spotted with, her fashion journey is just beginning.
“Caitlin is a trailblazer, whether it’s on the court, the first person to wear Prada at the draft or to be a guest on ‘SNL’ – she’s got people talking and investing in women’s sports in a way we haven’t seen never before. ,” says Zgirdea. “Brands looking to stay at the forefront of pop culture should be watching because Caitlin is already breaking glass ceilings and this is just the beginning.”
WNBA Draft 2024 Red Carpet Arrivals Photos, Live Updates: Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese & More
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Launch Gallery: WNBA 2024 Draft Red Carpet Arrivals Photos, Live Updates: Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese & More
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