Building the Vogue of women's basketball

Hi! I’m Olivia — also known as the fairy godmother of women’s basketball. My life sits at the intersection of basketball, fashion, and women’s empowerment. DAMECORE is the world where all of that comes together. DAMECORE is a women’s basketball brand and cultural universe that celebrates the game from a woman’s perspective. We spotlight individuality through style (because what athletes wear walking into the arena is a glimpse into who they are), create performance pieces designed for the female body, and build lifestyle and fan apparel that reflects the culture of the women’s game. But it’s more than clothing — it’s community. I host workshops, events, and skill-building experiences that create space for mentorship, storytelling, and empowerment. The mission is to inspire girls to start and empower women to stay in the game by honoring their identity not only as phenomenal athletes, but also as fashion icons and cultural voices.

I grew up playing competitive basketball. When I spontaneously moved to Paris, I genuinely thought I’d never touch a basketball again… until Day 2, when I somehow ended up dating one of the biggest streetballers in the city. Suddenly, I was playing even more than before. Basketball became my anchor there. It opened doors, gave me a community in a place where I didn’t know a soul (or a word of French), kept me grounded, and shaped who I am. At the same time, I was getting immersed in the fashion industry — a chaotic, fast-paced world that reminded me of being on the court. That overlap is what sparked everything for me. I realized there was still nothing in basketball built exclusively for women. No brand that celebrated them, centered their style, or addressed the disparities that historically pushed young girls out of the sport at twice the rate of boys. That cultural, visual, and emotional gap is what led me to build DAMECORE.

A common misconception is that DAMECORE is just a clothing brand. It’s so much more. It’s a cultural movement that inspires confidence, builds community, and champions inclusion in women’s basketball.

Something that really caught me off guard is realizing that I have no excuse to fail. Ten years ago, I thought I’d need years of corporate experience, a big team, or a huge budget to build something meaningful. But with tools like AI and the access/resources we have today, anything is possible — especially for young women founders. The barriers I assumed existed don’t actually exist anymore, and that realization has completely shifted the way I build, take risks, and believe in what’s possible. It had made me put a lot more pressure on myself and higher expectations I wouldn't have predicted otherwise.

I’m most proud of inspiring girls to stay in the game. After events, parents and players often come up to me to say thank you that DAMECORE made them feel seen, motivated them to keep playing, or made them excited to rep the brand. Those moments mean everything to me, because that’s truly what all of this is about. I’m also really proud to have received support through Dior and UNESCO’s Women@Dior program. It helped bring this vision to life and gave me the momentum to keep empowering young women through DAMECORE. It meant a lot to see such respected institutions believe in the mission and invest in its impact.

My advice is to find the gap where your passion meets real impact. Pay attention to what’s missing, what isn’t being represented, and where your experiences give you a unique perspective. If you build from purpose, people will feel it.

You do not need money to build something you are passionate about!