Fashion and sports are as interwined as ever, and no one instinctively understands that more than WNBA athlete Tiffany Hayes. When the Golden State Valkyries player isn’t tearing it up on the court, she’s busy working on her own streetwear label, Seyah (an anadrome of her surname). To prove just how crucial the game is to her fashion enterprise, she even soft-launched the brand via her team’s tunnel walks.

“I was with the Aces last year, an organization that had my back and supported my dreams of being a brand owner,” Hayes, 35, tells Bustle. One day, she came up with the idea to style the Las Vegas-based team in Seyah while also celebrating one of her record-breaking teammates, A’ja Wilson. During the now-famed tunnel, the Aces pulled up in Wilson’s black jerseys and Seyah’s maximalist prints. “It turned out to be so amazing and went viral and everybody loved it,” Hayes says.

A year later, she’s still tapping her colleagues to represent her brand. On Aug. 28, Seyah joined the inaugural Valkyries Fashion Show, presented by Sephora, and even got her teammate, Temi Fagbenle, to model a look. “Shout out to Brittany Hampton. She styled it to a T and Temi just [slayed] the walk,” Hayes says. Having already been part of Miami’s Flying Solo show last year, Hayes wanted to “be a spectator” this time. “I wanted to take it all in, seeing my brand in the show.”

Valkyries player, Temi Fagbenle, in Seyah.Courtesy of Golden State Valkyries

With exciting things on the horizon, Hayes chats about all things fashion, the WNBA athletes she’d love to style, and her most unhinged shopping habit.

Could you tell me about starting your brand?

I started Seyah in those tiny five months that I was retired from the W. I wasn’t afraid of it detracting from basketball, but it had taken a little bit of time away from me doing other things. So I really was grateful that the Aces, the team that I came back to last year, gave me the opportunity to do both. That was one of the biggest reasons why I decided, “Hey, I can really do great at both things at the same time.”

What was the biggest challenge that you faced?

All the fails along the way. Things are going to go wrong. It’s never perfect. But learning the process, making things that I like and finding my tribe of people. You don’t want to let people down, but you also want to stay true to yourself. It’s a process. In the fashion world, you have to keep learning and growing in the game.

I’ve only been in it for two years. I’ve been playing basketball 13 years. That comes a little bit easier to me now, but this is a baby.

Like a fashion rookie.

Exactly. Fashion rookie.

Where do you find inspiration?

From things I experience or see. I travel a lot. I’m around the U.S. a lot or when I play overseas. I played in Turkey and they have some of the best fabrics in the world. When I go in a fabric store, I gravitate to what reminds me of something. I’ve had these graffiti love pants. I got drafted in Atlanta and there’s probably no wall without graffiti in certain places there. That reminded me of home a little bit, so I grabbed that fabric, came up with the graffiti love pants.

The tsunami wave pants. I’m such a beach girl. I love the water. I have grass pants that haven’t even come out yet. And then I go to my team, KA Creative Consulting, and ask, “What shape could we make these in?” It’s never just me. I love being part of a team. I really do learn from the team that I’m on.

When you say grass pants, you mean the pattern is grass?

If you’ve been on a turf field before, it feels exactly the same. Its the pants. The pants is turf, the grass pants. Every time I wear the pants, if you can see my legs, I’m touching it all day. The feel of it keeps me grounded.

Your style is really bold and whimsical at times. When did you home in on that, and when did you work with a stylist?

I started working with Kristine Anigwe, of KA Consulting, about four years ago. She styles pretty much everything I have on and helps with my brand as well.

It started slow. Back then, I was like, “No, I don’t like that. I would never wear that.” But as time went on, I started to be [more open]. Like, “OK, I’ll wear that,” and then I end up liking it.

That’s so interesting because it’s the opposite for most people. They try all the trends first before narrowing down what they like.

I’m not a trend person. I really hate that word. Because if I don’t like it, even though it’s a trend, I don’t feel good in it. That’s why when Kristine used to try to put me in those, I was like, “No. Let’s try something else,” or “Let’s start slower than what you’re trying to do.”

courtesy of Golden State Valkyries

You’ve styled some teammates like Kate Martin. What do you like about styling, and how do you approach it?

My team and I had fun styling Kate. I love seeing her in my clothes. She doesn’t like to wear clothes, so every time she’s like, “Oh, I love this,” it makes me feel good. Kate is an open book and is just so willing. She’s always supported me. So I’m grateful that she let me have a little fun.

Do you have other people in the league you’d like to style?

Brittany Sykes just to see if I could switch it up on her. Her aesthetic is chill and a little sporty. I want to see her in something a little bit more upscale. Alysha Clark. She’s so versatile. I’d style Kate again.

Conversely, I know you have your own stylist, but are there people in the league that you wouldn’t mind styling you or swapping closets with?

I like Shatori Walker-Kimbrough’s style. If I dressed up more feminine, Olivia Nelson-Ododa. I love Stefanie Dolson’s style. She’s out of the box. And I like Arike [Ogunbowale]. She has a really chill vibe.

What is your favorite fashion compliment you’ve ever gotten?

I love getting compliments on my pants because I love having cool pants. I gave my dad my newest tsunami pants to wear at a game, and he was like, “I got so many compliments on these pants. So many people asked me [about them].” So he was just going on and on after the game and I was like, “Good.” I love getting that feedback.

What’s your most unhinged shopping habit?

Sometimes I’m an impulsive buyer. Normally, I’ll ask, “Am I going to wear it a lot? Will it go with a lot of things?” But sometimes I’ll see something and be like, “Wow, I want this.” And it makes no sense.

I got invited to a Bottega Veneta lunch where we were literally eating inside the store, and I came across this Valkyrie Violet tie, but in the Bottega weave. And I was like, “Give me that tie.” It was pricey, I’m not going to lie. I do love a bargain, but when a piece is cool like that, sometimes you’ve got to have it.

What is your favorite look of all time that you’ve worn?

I found fabric made out of cork. I was like, “I’m making something out of this.” I made jorts, a vest, and a tie that go with it. I wore it with a white button-up underneath, and Timbs. And I had the Prada glasses and the black Louis bag. I love that look.

Who are your dream collaborators?

A$AP Rocky. He’s so dope and out of the box. Rihanna. Pharrell. He’s just a genius when it comes to fashion, whether it’s shoes, clothes, or accessories.

This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

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