GLAM SLAM: How Beauty and Fashion are Changing the Game for Women’s Sports
Women's sports have gained momentum in mainstream culture, and beauty and fashion brands are racing to be a part of the movement. Many brands have begun partnering with women’s sports leagues and teams to promote not just athletic performance and personal expression, but to tap into a sense of community.
There has long been a disadvantage in women's sports, with historically fewer resources, unfair pay, and less visibility compared to their male counterparts. The Women’s Sports Foundation was founded over 50 years ago to support women’s participation in sports; however, many women’s professional sports leagues were not established until several decades later.
Despite such hurdles, interest in women’s sports has been growing at an exponential pace. This began in 2015, with the Women’s World Cup Final shattering the record as the most-watched game in history. At the time, women’s sports coverage was still largely overlooked, but it paved the way for the movement to gain momentum in 2019.
We’ve begun witnessing a shift in the mainstream popularity of women’s sports, with media coverage tripling almost every year since then. The WNBA, in particular, is evolving into a billion-dollar sports league, with the league airing this season on prime-time TV for the second consecutive year, and the 2025 draft earning respect as the second-most-watched WNBA draft in history.
This cultural shift has transcended traditional sponsorships and resulted in a long list of collaborative partnerships for women's sports, with Coach, Glossier, SKIMS, and New Balance being just a few of the official partners of the WNBA that signed and renewed multi-year contracts. Individual teams are also beginning to strike relationships with aligning brands, with Fenty Beauty and Off-White acting as official partners of the NY Liberty basketball team, and Sephora announced as a founding partner of the CA team, the Golden State Valkyries.
These partnerships enable greater visibility for women's sports and female athletes. The ability to empower, engage with, and encourage a community of young girls and women to participate in sports and be themselves is incredibly powerful, especially for those with dreams of reaching the professional level. This also gives brands a unique opportunity to develop long-lasting relationships with athletes and their communities of fans, whether that be by collaborating on products, such as Madison Reed tapping Paige Buekers as a brand ambassador, or by creating their own lines, like WYNN by Serena Williams.
Professional female athletes, in particular, have emerged as influential figures, with beauty and fashion serving as tools for expressing themselves both on and off the court. Players like Angel Reese have turned the WNBA Draft, the tunnel leading to games, and even events like the Met Gala into legendary moments for fashion and beauty.
There is no denying the influence of women’s sports on the fashion and beauty industries, as well as on a new generation of fans. This cultural shift is a great way to show that there is more to sports than athleticism, but also community and empowerment. Players are leading a cultural shift, creating a new culture in women's sports that prioritizes individuality over a general focus on athleticism and performance. Brands and the media are finally catching up to the extent of their power, but will they be able to keep up?