I’ve never wanted to be anything more than I want to be Ellie the Elephant from the NY Liberty. She’s the epitome of that gworl and lowkey is responsible for the way the world has been going hard for theWNBA team.We can’t go on without congratulating the NY Liberty team who made history this week. In a thrilling overtime game 5, the New York Liberty claimed their maiden WNBA championship, defeating the Minnesota Lynx 67-62. This victory marked the first time the Liberty had won the title, despite being the only original WNBA franchise without one. Previously, they had lost in their five previous finals appearances, including last year’s championship round against the Las Vegas Aces.
In case you’ve been living under a rock, In 2021, the New York Liberty of the WNBA welcomed a new mascot, Ellie the Elephant. Big Ellie Liberty, as she is affectionately known by fans and in pop culture, replaced Maddie the dog, the team’s previous mascot. Ellie’s arrival coincided with a change in ownership and the team’s move to the Barclays Center.
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Ellie, the elephant mascot, stands out for her distinct femininity, unlike most sports mascots. Out of the few female mascots, she is remarkably feminine with her braided hair, hoop earrings, and love for purses.Bronx native and sportswear designer Gabe Stark was commissioned to create a set of custom jersey dresses earlier this year because she clearly deserves the custom life. He toldSports Illustrated, “Ellie’s femininity and New York authenticity are what make her iconic. You can’t think about Ellie without her silhouette, her hand on her hip.”The fan favorite has a bevy of stylists, Criscia Long, Shenay Rivers and recently Harrison Crite joined the gang. We got to chat with Crite on his experience and what it means for him to be a part of these iconic moments. He told HB, “Honestly, I never thought my claim to fame would be dressing a mascot. In my career had clients attend Paris/Milan Fashion weeks, Awards shows in Africa and Cannes Film Festival to name a few, but nothing has compared to dressing Ellie. The impact Ellie is making has never been seen before. Not only is Ellie a superstar, but she represents the heartbeat of NY which is Lady Liberty. That within itself is rewarding. The impact Ellie is making and the things we are creating have never been witnessed before between a Mascot and Stylist. We are making HERstory.”Ahead, find some of our favorite looks along with some gems from Crite who is also responsible for styling the likes of Tamron Hall and Queen Latifah.
1. ELLY-ONCE
That time she delivered the performance of the century in a sequin number. The mascot dressed in a shimmering two-piece outfit as she took center court. In recognition of Pride Month, the show honored Beyoncé with a special tribute. The incredible mascot blended a medley of songs from Renaissance, the record-setting, Grammy Award-winning album by the “Break My Soul” singer. We are sure Beyonce was more than proud because Ellie is most definitely the visuals.
2. Telfar Gang
She supports Black-owned businesses and we love her real bad for that. In her bag, she keeps her iPhone, iPad, headphones, towels and gifts from the fans.
Crite said, “My inspo for Game 1 of Finals was the ‘Ultimate NY Girl.’ When I think of NY girls my mind automatically goes to door knocker earrings and bags. Ellie wore Sister Love hoops and a Telfar Bag which are staples in NY. I wanted the look to be undeniably NY and we achieved that seamlessly.”
3. Puffer Power
Most recently, the fans went crazy for Ellie’s seafoam puffer vest and matching skirt combo. It is the epitome of New York City. “It was very intentional for me to shape Ellie as a black female elephant because she is the culture and we all know WHO is the culture. Ellie is a fly girl from NYC who commands the room and gets her fits off. That said my job is to continue that narrative. I am very intentional with the items I chose because of that,” Crite shared.
4. Birthday Baddie
A birthday baddie stole the show with their embellished corset and larger-than-life tutu, captivating onlookers with their mesmerizing dance. The tutu’s vibrant hues and sparkling crystals embodied joy and invited everyone to embrace the celebration’s magic.
Beyond her occasional name-drops by Cardi B and her appearances at Childish Gambino concerts, this captivating mascot can be found alongside Lil’ Kim and entertaining Usher with her distinctive dance moves for her over 300,000 followers across various social media platforms.
5. It's Giving Custom
This has to be our favorite look. Not only did Ellie wear custom Joseph McRae, a Black designer, but she called on Crite, to make it happen.
For Crite, it was about balance and that has come from his eperience working with talented black designers. “Every designer I have worked with for Ellie’s customs have been of color. The designers are so excited to come onboard the project that they’ve put their best foot forward. WE all understand the mission at hand.”
And the look went viral. It felt amazing for her new stylist. “You know I don’t do this for viral moments— I do this for the love of styling. To see something I styled reach this amount of people is unreal.” The Memphis-born image curator went on to say, “I truly feel like I’m in a fantasy world at times due to the impact. I think every New Yorker whether male, female, they or them saw themselves in Ellie that night. NY had a championship to win so we put our best Timbs forward.”
6. Woman Of The Year
Ellie made a surprise appearance at Glamour’s Women of The Year awards in a glittering number. She’s definitely our woman of the decade because she represents strength, power, wisdom, and determination. Elephants are renowned for her exceptional longevity, unwavering stamina, cooperative spirit, and unwavering loyalty, characteristics that mirror the journey of the New York Liberty, its players, and devoted fans.
