How Esther Wallace Uses Her Clothing Brand Playa Society To Change The Game Of Women’s Basketball

Her “Female Athlete” t-shirt made waves after dropping in 2017. The tee, which features the word "female” crossed out and the phrase "teammates not by gender" became an instant hero product of the brand. “I remember designing it and it just felt like a statement that needed to be said,” she tells xoNecole. “It was more so just creating a conversation and starting a movement around the concept of equality for women in sports and from there, I was able to build the brand around it.”

The world of sports, fashion, and culture has always formed a harmonious relationship. With tunnel walks being an opportunity for players to showcase their personal style, sports figures taking up social causes, and sports marketing being a form of storytelling, Wallace understands the power of using clothes to make a statement.

“It's definitely about using apparel or design as a platform for storytelling,” she says. “I always want to try and captivate as much of that energy throughout the women's basketball community as possible and pour it into the design process.”

"I always want to try and captivate as much of that energy throughout the women's basketball community as possible and pour it into the design process."

As a brand, Playa Society focuses on celebrating and highlighting major moments within women’s basketball, from rising players to WNBA legends, and momentous championships, to uplift and honor the community. “There's always so many layers to the design process, between the message and the design. So I’m continuing to dig through those layers and find ways to piece it all together so that it's always putting the women of the league at the forefront.”

Today, the WNBA has entered a new era, with standout players like A'ja Wilson, Angel Reese, Skylar Diggins, Alyssa Thomas, and more bringing record-breaking viewership to the game along with soldout arenas. Amidst the controversy and spectacle, this momentum has brought well-deserved attention to the sport that Wallace says is “overdue."

“I think that there are a lot of untold stories just amongst the women in the league,” she says, “I don’t think people realized how exciting, skilled, and talented these players are. I'm excited that a lot of these players are getting so much more well-deserved exposure because I do believe that once the culture starts to embrace these athletes, that's how the game and the league are going to thrive. It's a really exciting time.”

"I'm excited that a lot of these players are getting so much more well-deserved exposure because I do believe that once the culture starts to embrace these athletes, that's how the game and the league are going to thrive."

Any athlete will tell you that having a player’s mindset is essential to success both on and off the court. For Wallace, incorporating her on-court intentions into her entrepreneurial endeavors has been the secret sauce to her success. “Everything that I do and how I navigate always goes back to basketball. I'm always operating under that pressure — basketball has taught me about being poise and prepared,” she says. “What tends to hold people back is second-guessing and self-doubt, but cut through all of that noise. It's a constant game of continuing the path and trusting your instincts because none of this happens overnight.”

The great women’s basketball renaissance is here and with advocates like Wallace championing the sport, it isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.

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