The London Lions women’s and men’s teams played respective domestic fixtures yesterday in a landmark double-header dedicated to celebrating inspirational women on Mother’s Day. An emphatic crowd descended upon the Copper Box Arena to cheer on both sides and also witness a special halftime performance from rapper and singer, Stefflon Don. The event saw the coming together of the worlds of sport, fashion, music and culture as the London-side unveiled their limited-edition Lions x TOMME handbag.
The bags – of which only ten of the coveted pieces are for sale – are entirely handcrafted from a basketball and made personally by renowned designer Kelly Gunner. The launch of the collection was celebrated by the performance from Stefflon Don who was snapped wearing one of the bags. The unity of influential figures from sports, music and fashion comes alongside a landmark study from the Lions which unveils that 11% of females in the UK say that people from fashion and sports are the most prominent cultural influences in their life. Highlighting the impact of both sectors, 12% of females also said that their identity is largely formed through influences from the worlds of sports and fashion.
To celebrate Mother’s Day, the event also offered a VIP experience as all the Lions players’ and coaches’ mums were invited to enjoy the entertainment alongside other female icons. They watched on as the Lions secured victory by winning the game 92-33. The team are positioned as one of the most dominant teams in UK sport after their 52-game unbeaten domestic streak – the latest accomplishment after they achieved invincibility in the WBBL Championship last season, winning all 34 domestic games by an average margin of 40 points. They also completed a domestic clean sweep by winning the WBBL Cup, Trophy, Championship and Play-Off titles.
