Golden State Valkyries Host Epic First Fashion Show Featuring Tiffany Hayes Originals

The Aug. 28 event presented by Sephora transformed Chase Center’s 9th floor into a runway.

Tiffany Hayes / Courtesy of The Valkyries

The Bay Area’s newest team just proved they’re not only rewriting basketball history, but also making waves in fashion. The Golden State Valkyries hosted their first fashion show at Above the Rim inside Chase Center last night.

Perched on the ninth floor, the sleek, modern venue offered floor-to-ceiling windows with sweeping views of the San Francisco skyline, the Bay waterfront and surrounding piers. Even the city’s infamous fog stayed away, letting golden hour light flood in as the runway show kicked off on Aug. 28.

Temi Fagbenle wears Seyah / Courtesy of Golden State Valkyries

“Fashion in sports isn’t just about clothing; it’s a powerful form of self-expression, a reflection of individual style and identity. But it’s also a collective statement, a visual representation of the league’s culture—bold, confident, and unapologetically authentic,” Valkyries president Jess Smith said in a press release. “For many, it helps tell the story of who these incredible athletes are, on and off the court and has become part of connecting with fans and shaping the league’s cultural footprint.”

Valkyries Fashion Show / SI Staff

Presented by Sephora, the evening blended emerging designers with WNBA influence, spotlighting tunnel-fit energy and the growing cultural crossover between sports and style. Players, creatives and media gathered around a Sephora-branded runway to celebrate the league’s visibility.

The show featured 15 total looks: 13 from designers Retired from Society, AuthMade, Dead Dirt, Ru by Rupal and Kids of Immigrants, plus two original designs by Valkyries guard Tiffany Hayes. Many of her teammates, including Temi Fagbenle, Laeticia Amihere and Kaila Charles also walked in the show.

“Fashion is important… it gives people a way to express themselves.”

Y’all already know @tiphayes3 knows how to throw a fit, but we grabbed her before the first-ever Valkyries Fashion Show to talk about the importance of the moment and how it feels to see Seyah on the runway… pic.twitter.com/PNzagluxib

— Golden State Valkyries (@valkyries) August 29, 2025

“Fashion has been a huge part of my personal journey,” the 35-year-old athlete said in a statement. “It’s how I tell my story and shape my narrative without saying a word. As a professional athlete, people often see me in uniform, but style allows me to step outside of that and show different layers of who I am. It gives me confidence, it grounds me, and it reminds me that my identity is bigger than how I perform when I’m on the court. Valkyries Fashion Week means a lot to me because it gives women like me the platform to show that strength, creativity, and culture go hand in hand, and that’s powerful for the next generation to see all the different ways self-expression can look like.”

Laeticia Amihere wears Kids of Immigrants / Courtesy of Golden State Valkyries

Creative direction came from Brittany Hampton, a Valkyries Collective member who styled the show.

For Hayes, clothing carries a deeper purpose, and she admits her relationship with fashion has evolved. The 2024 WNBA Sixth Woman of the Year is candid that it wasn’t always a space she felt called to, but she’s found her footing and “grown into someone I wanted to become just in the last few years.” She showed up to the event in style, of course, wearing a cool dark denim look featuring upcoming pieces from her Seyah brand.

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A post shared by Tiffany Hayes (@tiphayes3)

Her approach is about more than just clothing. “It’s about just leaving something for the future,” she tells SI Swimsuit. “This stuff is going to last forever; people are going to know about this for a long time. I always pair [fashion] with things that are important to me, like financial literacy [and] mental health awareness. If you want to see it in the future, you have to start it now, that’s my mentality.”

Tiffany Hayes / Courtesy of Golden State Valkyries

We already knew Tip Hayes dominated at tipoff. Turns out her wardrobe is “immaculate,” too. She says it—and we’ve seen it each week as she nails her tunnel walk in Ballhalla.

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