Konomi Ikeda a.k.a. Win (pronounced Ween) works as an aspiring designer of sports apparel and is captain of her Tokyo-based girls streetball team The Pink Suns. Win graduated from a local fashion/design institute, then went on to work in the apparel industry soon after. A few years ago, she became inspired to launch her own self-titled brand of streetball fashion called "Win". Her special, limited edition shorts and jerseys are made with a style you can only find here in Japan. She mixes various fabrics and colors and knows how to give it that one-of-a-kind, original Shibuya style (The Pink Suns practice and play most of their games in Shibuya, a youth fashion hub in Japan).

The items in Win's collection are showcased at tournaments by her Pink Suns team members, and also available for purchase at a few local fashion boutiques and sporting goods stores around town.

We must admit, after spending a lot of time hanging out at basketball courts all over the world for our Hope 81 projects, we've never seen a girls streetball community quite like this one. And we know Win has had a lot to do with how the girls street movement in Japan has grown in recent years. Win stepped up and followed her passion for sport and design, and its been exciting to watch how her actions are now inspiring others. We hope Win's story will serve as encouragement for other girls athletes and artists out there -- regardless of which country they play -- to keep reaching for their dreams. Win says her dream is to grow her street brand for both men’s and women’s sports apparel, and to help promote women’s basketball in Japan along the way. Thanks for the inspiration, Win... And Go-Pink-Suns! Our Rising Suns are cheering for you, ladies!