The Portland Fire's new partnership with eyelash brand Lashify, announced ahead of the team's WNBA return, is more than a beauty deal. It continues a long tradition of intimate apparel brands supporting female athletes. While Lashify, founded in 2016, brings synthetic silk lashes to the court, this move recalls the foundational role of lingerie companies in women's sports. In the early 20th century, brands like Maidenform, founded in 1922, revolutionized activewear by designing bras that offered support and freedom of movement, enabling broader participation in athletics. This sponsorship is a modern iteration of that same principle: products designed for performance and resilience under physical stress.
Lashify's logo will appear on the Fire's jerseys, and the brand will provide a dedicated glam room at the team's training center. 'Our lashes are intended to last under stress,' noted Lashify president Ray Carreon, framing the partnership as a test of endurance. This logic mirrors the technical innovation demanded of sports lingerie. The collaboration reflects a growing trend of beauty brands investing in women's sports, a sector experiencing record viewership and expansion. As the WNBA welcomes new teams, the alliance underscores a persistent theme: from the foundational garments of the past to today's beauty accessories, empowering women in sport has always required specialized design that keeps pace with their ambition and intensity.
Originally reported by WWD