The WNBA stylist who found his ministry in fashion

Introducing Aesthetically Speaking, our series that delves into style-minded storytelling at the intersection of fashion and sports, featuring the brands and stylists who make it happen.

Stylist Manny Jay’s career was born the moment he realized the personal impact of having a strong aesthetic. “This is literally a gift,” he said. “In my world, it’s a ministry of some sort.”

With his clients, all of his relationships start with a level of trust. Not only does he study all of the people he works with, but he also considers himself a friend first. While he jokes that his job is 10% fashion, 90% therapist, Manny Jay makes it a point to learn his clients’ likes and dislikes, as well as their goals and aspirations.

“I want the girl and the clothes to feel meshed together, not like they are wearing a costume,” he said of working with clients such as WNBA stars Skylar Diggins and Rickea Jackson. “But, I also want them to feel like they are elevating their personal style.”

Manny Jay says women’s sports found him at a time when he thought he was done with styling, and the strength of the athletes he works with reminds him a lot of himself. In his personal life, Manny Jay overcame cancer twice, working styling jobs when he was discharged from the hospital.

For our fourth episode of Aesthetically Speaking, we dive into all this and more with Andscape host Ari Chambers. Watch below as Manny Jay explains using fashion to connect with other people, being a two-time cancer survivor, and how to find your own personal style.