Source: Courtesy of Kristine Anigwe / Courtesy of Kristine Anigwe
Kristine Anigwe’s journey from the hardwood to the fashion world is nothing short of inspiring. As a former WNBA player turned creative visionary, she has seamlessly woven her love for basketball and fashion into a dynamic career that redefines what it means to be an athlete and a creator. Through her brand, KA Originals, and her work in creative consulting, Anigwe has cultivated a space where individuality meets innovation.
Her story is one of resilience, creativity, and empowerment—rooted in a desire to express herself authentically while elevating others. Whether designing bold, functional clothing for athletes or crafting campaigns that amplify personal narratives, Anigwe’s work transcends trends, offering a lasting cultural impact. Her insights reveal how she navigates challenges, forges meaningful connections, and uses her platform to advocate for causes close to her heart, such as domestic violence awareness.
In this interview, Anigwe shares her inspiring journey, the lessons she’s learned, and her vision for the future at the intersection of sports, fashion, and culture.
On Personal Journey and Inspiration
HelloBeautiful: What inspired you to transition from professional basketball to launching KA Originals?
Kristine Anigwe: It was never a real transition from basketball to launching my brand. It was more simultaneously trying to have a creative outlet with KA Originals and KA Creative Consulting. It’s a place where I’m able to just be myself, express myself, and combine both of the things I really love: basketball and fashion.
HelloBeautiful: How has your experience as a former WNBA player shaped your approach to fashion and creative direction?
Anigwe: My experience as a WNBA player has been fruitful. I’ve made a lot of connections in the basketball world. I’ve been able to play alongside people that I admired when I was younger, players such as Candace Parker, who I really loved. I loved her game, and being able to be mentored by and also playing on the same team as her showed me that basketball wasn’t just going to take me to these types of levels, but it also could help me figure out a safe space to eventually heal and pour into another outlet, such as fashion. Being 6’4″, I couldn’t find clothes in the store, so I made many of my own pants.
By making them, I naturally styled myself. So, while I was overseas exploring designing, I tapped into creating my brand, which led to many clients, mostly other athletes, who loved what I was wearing and, as a consequence, wanted me to style them. When it comes to creative direction, I was able to style people based on these fantasy worlds that they wanted to live in, whether it’s an ocean theme where we would go out in the water and start doing shoots or studio shoots for their personal brands. I wanted to make sure that their creative vision was told and they had an outlet to express themselves.
HelloBeautiful: What challenges have you faced breaking into the fashion world, and how did you overcome them?
Anigwe: I didn’t understand all the roles of a sustainable fashion business. I thought it was all one. Creative direction, styling, and designing were just all about being creative. I didn’t understand that they were all separate positions or departments. You have to understand that and charge your worth for all those roles you take on. Otherwise, you become easily overwhelmed and drained without even realizing it. Just because you’re good at multiple things doesn’t mean you have to do multiple things. You can focus on the things people ask for. I overcame that by hiring a good team and working with good people that I could trust. I also had to learn to stop doing everything by myself and lean on others.
On Fashion and Styling
HelloBeautiful: Your designs blend boldness with functionality. How do you balance creativity with practicality when designing?
Anigwe: I am 6’4″, I play basketball. I wanted to be able to move in my clothes while also being able to express myself through them. So, the majority of my designs and styling also reflect my lifestyle. My mom is one of my role models when it comes to fashion. She’s someone who loves dressing up and actually wearing her clothes, not just to special events. She likes wearing her clothes to anything; she dresses up to go to the grocery store. I was born in London, and my mom was also raised there for a bit in the UK, so a lot of her clothes are very minimalistic. She wasn’t a fan of loud colors, so I had to hone my creativity and design conceptualized clothing that was traditional yet minimalistic.
Source: Courtesy of Kristine Anigwe / Courtesy of Kristine Anigwe
HelloBeautiful: Can you share the creative process behind styling prominent athletes like Skylar Diggins-Smith and Cameron Brink?
Anigwe: I always go based on skin tone, body shape, and how they want to feel and express themselves. I would say that I enjoy styling athletes and people that inspire me, where I can feel like I can be the most creative with. I started styling Tiffany Hayes three years ago, and from then to now, her brand has changed. So many things have changed. She’s even created a clothing line. And with Olivia Nelson-Ododa, I started styling her a year ago, and she didn’t have a brand to begin with; we were working from scratch. We haven’t had many people lend us clothes until now. A lot of people are reaching out and emailing us to figure out how to work with her. I had an opportunity to work with Cameron Brink while she was at Stanford because of my connections since I went to the University of California. So, it was fun to work with people who I also looked up to while playing in college. I’ve also worked with Nneka Ogumike, Skylar Diggins-Smith, and the list goes on.
HelloBeautiful: How do you approach capturing individuality while creating cohesive looks for basketball players?
Anigwe: I honed in on creating an individual look instead of creating an identity. I don’t follow trends because most of those trends don’t work for my clientele and wouldn’t capture the look we’re trying to create. Everyone’s body type is different. I want to go deeper into who they are as a person, who they want to reflect on, and who they want to be in the next 10 years.
On Cultural Impact
HelloBeautiful: Women’s basketball has had a profound cultural impact this year. How does your work contribute to shaping the sport’s narrative and aesthetic?
Anigwe: Women’s basketball, in general, has grown tremendously since I’ve been in the league. I was drafted in 2019, and there were barely any fans in the stands. When dressing up for the games, people were looking at you like, why are you dressing up for a basketball game? Four or five years later, it’s a fashion show in the Tunnel Walks. I’m getting brands like Versace sending clothes for Tunnel Walks. It’s their new focal point. And it blows my mind to see the growth and the reaction from brands. New talents, like Caitlyn Clark and Angel Reese, are utilizing their personal brands and bringing more eyeballs to the game and everything connecting to women’s basketball. I feel like my work is ever-evolving. There’s been a lot of potential, and I’ve always wanted to work with people so the masses understand that these people I work with aren’t just dollar signs; they’re real people who want to have an impact on more than just basketball and fashion. My work helps shape those personas and narratives.
HelloBeautiful: In your opinion, what role does fashion play in enhancing the visibility and empowerment of female athletes?
Anigwe: Fashion plays a crucial role in enhancing the visibility and empowerment of athletes. Not only do they get to express themselves through fashion, but they also attract more viewers to the sports. The online visibility of the tunnel looks is through the roof, and people are still talking about last season’s looks. Fashion has also provided new revenue streams and opportunities for them. The media and masses have become more interested in the stories behind the looks and players.
HelloBeautiful: How do you see the intersection of sports, fashion, and culture evolving in the next five years?
Anigwe: I think we’re only going to see it intensify. I believe more athletes will go into fashion, create their own brands, and maybe even create direct or co-design collections with other major fashion brands. I also think more consumers will look up to athletes for style inspo. There’s also a shift toward intertwining fashion into an entire sports organization to preserve a certain image. AC Milan and Formula 1 hired creative directors, for example.
On Leadership and Branding
HelloBeautiful: As a creative director for multiple brand campaigns, how do you ensure authenticity while collaborating with athletes and companies?
Anigwe: As a creative director, my primary goal is to ensure that every collaboration authentically reflects my clients’ values and personal style. Authenticity comes from alignment—if an athlete wouldn’t wear a dress or support a particular product daily, I would never ask them to do so for a campaign. It’s about finding organic synergies between the athlete and the brand, where both parties are elevated by the collaboration.
I start by deeply understanding my client’s personality, preferences, and values, and I work closely with brands to ensure their mission aligns with those elements. For me, it’s never about forcing a connection; it’s about creating partnerships that feel natural and empowering. When both the athlete and the brand genuinely believe in the campaign, it not only shines through visually but also resonates with their audiences on a deeper level. Ultimately, my goal is to design campaigns that bring out the best in my clients and showcase their authenticity. When they fully stand behind a collaboration, it creates a compelling and impactful narrative that benefits everyone involved.
HelloBeautiful: What advice would you give to athletes looking to build their personal brands off the court?
Anigwe: I would tell them to focus on their personal brand and on what they’re good at. They also have to understand that for your brand to grow, you have to create motion behind it, which means working with the right people. There is a big emphasis on the right people because there are some people you can work with who don’t understand their process. You want results, and that’s not the way to grow. Instead, work with people who will like to teach you their process while you’re working with them.
This will make you feel safe and comfortable. It encourages you to continue working with them even if you can’t see the instant results. Building a brand is a marathon and not instant gratification. Many moving parts go into creating a strong personal brand. And that’s why I say personal brand, treating it like a brand, not a trend.
HelloBeautiful: How does your work redefine the traditional image of women’s basketball, and why is that important to you?
Anigwe: My work redefines the traditional image of women’s basketball by offering 360 brand-building services. With traditional women’s basketball, you only focus on basketball. I focus on fashion, and if I don’t focus on fashion, I’m focusing on your personal brand and how I can create more revenue for it, enabling you to pour back into your passions. I try to connect the dots and figure out how to leverage fashion and styling to grow your brand. I’m all about focusing on the athlete’s mission and vision versus what I think the athlete should be doing.
On Future Goals
HelloBeautiful: What’s next for KA Originals, and how do you plan to expand its influence?
Anigwe: I plan to expand KA Originals. I’m adding a bridal collection to cater not only to athletes but also to women who struggle to find dresses that fit their body type. I want to hone in on creating these magical experiences for people. One of those moments is marriage. And I always think about the biggest day of my life and what I want it to look like. I want to be the niche designer that can help them create memorable experiences. I want to empower them to find the outfit of their dreams, whether a tux, a gown, or a special occasion dress. I want to be able to close that gap.
HelloBeautiful: Are there any dream collaborations or projects you aspire to take on in the future?
Anigwe: My dream collaboration would be to work alongside another prominent clothing brand, a traditional Fashion House, and be able to co-design or co-create a project that helps uplift another community. I’m a huge advocate for domestic violence awareness, so I want to be able to bring more awareness to that by utilizing my talents.
HelloBeautiful: What legacy do you hope to leave behind both in the basketball and fashion worlds?
Anigwe: I want to be someone that people can look up to and say that they’ve done everything the right way, even if it took longer than other people. I want the people I work with to feel like they’re getting everything they can get and have a wonderful experience. In the end, I do want to do more work with domestic violence survivors and organizations because I feel like that’s the only reason why I started that. I wanted to make an impact in that area. I wanted to inspire women to become more confident after it was taken from them due to unfortunate events such as domestic violence.
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