Coach named the official handbag of the WNBA

American fashion house Coach, part of Tapestry, Inc., has announced a multi-year partnership with the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) aimed at “championing courageous self-expression through basketball and beyond”.

In a statement, Coach said the partnership would highlight the intersection between sports and fashion and would see the New York-based brand becoming the official handbag partner of the WNBA.

The goal of the partnership is to “empower players and fans to courageously express themselves,” underscored by Coach’s grounding purpose, the ‘Courage to Be Real,’ a platform meant to inspire people to confidently explore all the facets of their identity.

Joon Silverstein, chief marketing officer at Coach, said: “Coach and the WNBA share a belief in the power of self-expression. We’re excited to partner with this league, an organisation that uniquely champions individuality, and to support these courageous athletes who are breaking moulds both on and off the court, inspiring our audiences to embrace the many possibilities of who they are and who they can be.”

Coach links with women's basketball to encourage self-expression

The collaboration will be spotlighted across key events and moments throughout the WNBA season, starting with the WNBA Draft 2025 presented by State Farm on Monday, April 14 at The Shed in New York City. Throughout the evening, the WNBA Draft Orange Carpet presented by Coach, will welcome the newest class of WNBA rookies.

As part of this deal, Coach will also highlight the stories of five WNBA prospects who are considered to be bridging the worlds of sport and fashion “as exceptional athletes who express themselves with their own unique style”. They are Paige Bueckers (University of Connecticut), Hailey Van Lith (Texas Christian University), Aneesah Morrow (Louisiana State University), Kiki Iriafen (University of South California), and Sonia Citron (Notre Dame).

In addition, Coach will become the presenting partner of WNBA Pride, a platform the league launched in 2014, which marked the first time a pro sports league formed an integrated programme to celebrate the LGBTQ+ community and will be an associate partner of AT&T WNBA All-Star 2025, where fans and players will converge in Indianapolis for the midseason showcase.

Colie Edison, chief growth officer at the WNBA, added: “The WNBA sits at the intersection of sport and lifestyle and has always championed players to translate what they do on the court into their own personal style off the court.

“We look forward to joining forces with Coach to inspire fans everywhere to embrace individuality, especially around some of our most anticipated tentpole moments, including the WNBA Draft Orange Carpet and WNBA Pride presented by Coach.”

Coach is the latest fashion and beauty brand to associate with the WNBA. In January, Sephora Canada became a founding partner for Canada’s first WNBA team, the Toronto Tempo, which will join the league in 2026, Kim Kardashian’s shapewear brand Skims became the official underwear partner for the league, and Nike and Reebok have launched sneakers with female basketball stars.