Golden State Warriors fan takes NBA fashion world by storm

SAN FRANCISCO - One Golden State Warriors fan is changing the game of fan fashion, and she's using Chase Center as her runway.

Danielle Snyder, a mother of three, spent her whole life on the East Coast before she and her family moved to the Bay Area at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. She said she initially had some struggles adjusting to her new home.

"I had a rough patch moving across the country, being in isolation, not having made friends here and being a new mom," Snyder said. "And then all of a sudden, seeing this Warriors community, seeing the power of sport and the energy really made me fall in love with the Bay Area."

It started with a ball game:

After the pandemic, Snyder said she was looking for a taste of New York energy in the Bay. So she went to a Warriors game.

However, she said she did not want to just wear another generic Warriors t-shirt. The desire prompted Snyder's husband to get her some vintage jerseys, which served as canvasses for Snyder to unleash her creativity.

"I started slicing off the bottom, chopping them up and doing my thing adding crystals and glitter, feminizing them and having fun with them," Snyder said.

It was not her first foray into fashion. In 2008, Snyder and her sister Jodi started the fashion label DanniJo, which has since developed a loyal cult following with its statement jewelry, tie-dye silk slips and resort-leisure wear.

But when Snyder wore her bedazzled sports regalia to the ball game, she said other fans and even some players immediately took notice.

"A couple girls had come up to me in the bathroom during a time out and said ‘Where can I get that?’" Snyder said. "Walking back to my seats, people were asking. A couple players said ‘Can I get one for my wife or girlfriend?’"

A new label is born:

That interest led to the inception of DanniJoPro, which is an extension of the sisters' original fashion label dedicated solely to the intersection of fashion and fandom.

According to Statista, 40% of NBA fans are women, though just a small fraction of apparel is designed with them in mind. But in May, after officially becoming licensed by the NBA, Snyder launched her latest collection of clothing.

Warriors coach Steve Kerr and players Steph Curry, Draymond Green and Mosese Moody were among those present to support the launch of Snyder's new line.

Snyder said her plan moving forward is simple.

"The end goal is to take over fashion and fandom and for our product to be so premium that people want to wear it whether they are a sports fan or not," she said.

Her plan is already well underway, as Snyder revealed to KTVU that she is currently collaborating with GAP to produce her next collection of locally sourced, designed and made clothing.