The orange carpet at the 2026 WNBA Draft was more than a showcase of athletic talent; it was a display of personal style with deep roots in intimate apparel history. The evening's dominant designer, Coach, which dressed multiple athletes including top pick Azzi Fudd, has a lineage intertwined with foundational garments. Founded in 1941 as a family-run leather goods workshop, the house’s understanding of structure and fit originates from the same principles of tailoring that shaped early 20th-century corsetry and foundations.
This historical connection to understructure was evident in the sleek silhouettes chosen. UCLA star Lauren Betts described her sleek black Coach gown as 'vintage, Hollywood glam,' a direct nod to the 1930s and 40s when bias-cut satin slips and elegant negligees defined silver-screen allure. Meanwhile, Flau’jae Johnson’s daring black Bent Kahina gown and Raven Johnson’s powerful blazer dress spoke to a different lineage: the transformative power of the corset as outerwear, a concept pioneered by designers like Jean Paul Gaultier in the late 20th century.
As Gianna Kneepkens noted, fashion is a growing part of the league's identity. The players’ conscious choices—from Angela Dugalić’s 'super classy but not basic' sequins to Kiki Rice’s celebrated long nails—reflect a century-long dialogue where the confidence once cultivated by private lingerie is now worn openly as public armor. Their style is not merely about clothing; it is the latest chapter in how garments close to the body empower the person within.
Originally reported by WWD