“Female athletes deal with a whole set of unique challenges that are different from what male athletes deal with,” she told me. “That’s not political; that’s just a fact. I don’t think we’re in a society where it’s embraced for us to stick up for ourselves, or wear our hearts on our sleeves, or play with emotions. I still think that it’s frowned upon if we display feelings of being upset, or having a moment of passion on court. I think a lot of those expectations that are placed on us are super unhealthy and unfair.
“I’ve really leaned into who I truly am,” she continued. “I’m someone who is passionate, somebody who can be emotional, and I won’t let people walk all over me. I’m not only going to stick up for myself, but I’m also going to stick up for other people.”
Collins channeled the AO incident into a whimsical debut drop with help from richsport co-founders Nicole Dunn and Sarah Koudouzian. Their brand, according to their website, is inspired by “90’s and Y2K nostalgia in our playlists, visual elements and tactile designs, ensuring you feel rich in experience.”
“Their brand is very much centered around fun, vibrant, and bright colors, and that’s what kind of represents me,” said Collins. “We were able to play around with the design choices and messaging to come up with something that was really true to me and my personality.”
