The elephant, mascot of the New York Liberty, needs no introduction

The story goes that on a crisp spring day in 1884, entertainment mogul P.T. Barnum marched 21 of his legendary circus elephants across the Brooklyn Bridge. The animals made it safely across, easing public concerns about the structural integrity of the architectural marvel spanning Manhattan and Brooklyn, which was at the time the longest suspension bridge in the world. Barnum’s legendary “elephant march” has since been commemorated in an iconic 2004 statue. New Yorker cover and a satirical sculpture erected in Brooklyn Bridge Park. More recently, this piece of New York City lore has manifested itself on the field, as the beloved mascot of the New York Liberty.

Named after Ellis Island, “Ellie” the elephant entertains the crowds, but her vibe is much more this bitch than Barnum. She carries a Telfar bag. Her tunnel haircuts are posted on Instagram. And Tyla was once caught admiring her from Celebrity Row. “She’s not just a mascot anymore,” says Criscia Long, Ellie’s personal stylist and one of her advisors. “She’s entered a new world of influence.”

The anthropomorphic elephant has amassed nearly 300,000 followers on social media, but her It Girl prowess is best experienced in person at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center, where she whips her long braid, performs TikTok dances and leads the crowd in her eponymous fourth-quarter Ellie stomp. Picture this: LL Cool J’s “Headsprung” blares through the arena as a sexy elephant in Air Jordans leaps over the dancers and lands on one foot with a thunderous stomp that leaves fans both stunned and delighted.

Ellie’s pregame and halfway performances pave the way for what every influencer dreams of: collaborations. Her style has caught the attention of celebrities and fashion brands alike, including New York-based brand Luar, which gifted her a seafoam green bag in honor of the Liberty’s jersey color. During last season’s playoffs, fellow Brooklynite Lil’ Kim specifically asked Ellie to join her for a halftime performance that was “so Brooklyn that it will go down in history forever,” Long says.

Like Barnum’s elephants 140 years ago, Ellie has a mission: to draw people to the neighborhood. And it seems to be working. Fans come to see power players like Breanna Stewart and Sabrina Ionescu, sure, but they stay for the twerking elephant. “Ellie’s character is about showing up, making a statement and welcoming people,” Long says. “It’s not just a mascot moment or a fashion moment, it’s a cultural moment.”

Earlier this month, Ellie dropped by ELLE’s Manhattan offices. I’ve been the magazine’s editor-in-chief for nearly six years, and in that time, some of the world’s most prominent actresses, musicians, artists, and politicians have dropped by for interviews or sit-downs. No one has elicited a reaction like Ellie. She showed up to our pitch meeting with disdain. Staffers rushed to take selfies. The fashion closet erupted in cheers. One assistant even asked her to sign our September issue. “That’s Ellie’s power,” Long says. “You just have to have fun.” feel “The identity of the individual wearing the elephant costume is kept carefully secret, making him feel even more like his own person.

The mascot’s original prototype four years ago was much simpler. No bamboo earrings. No weaving. These details, which Long says “bring out her personality,” are the brainchild of Ellie’s all-black, female entourage, who conceptualize, research and put together the looks before each game. From the beginning, Long wanted her essence to reflect the culture of the borough she represents. “Ellie is inspired by women of color, and that shows in her personality,” Long says. “We wanted it to be very authentic, so people could relate to it.”

Ellie has many famous fans, including Julia Fox.

The iconic elephant braid is inspired by Ellie’s childhood. “When I was little, I was so excited to go to the salon with my mom and pick out something new,” she says. “At first, the braid was just gray, and then we started adding color and highlights.” After experimenting with hair, Long turned her attention to wardrobe. Ellie’s style had to be on trend, and it had to be Brooklyn“One of the things about fashion, especially in Brooklyn, is that when you walk down the street, it’s bold and bright and vibrant,” Long says. “It makes a statement.”

Standing out isn’t really a problem when you’re one of the largest animals on the planet. But just in case, Ellie opted for a custom look for her first walk down the tunnel of the 2024 WNBA season. She was dressed by Gabe Stark, who created a special fitted jersey dress called “The Herzey” from his brand Rare Breed BX. The Brooklyn-based designer and longtime Liberty fan has spent years perfecting his trademark Herzey, which he describes as having the “sleekest, sexiest, most athletic silhouette possible.” But dressing an elephant comes with its own unique set of challenges. “She was my first fur client,” he says. “After a few fittings and putting a hole for the tail, we figured it out.”

Long worked closely with Stark on the outfit, which went viral on social media. “We had so many different prototypes,” Long says. “We really wanted to make sure it had a feminine silhouette.” A former Knicks City dancer, Long is keenly aware of the impact and implications costumes can have. “It’s so cool to see people in the comments (on Instagram) say, ‘Oh, she’s wearing bamboo earrings!’” Long says. “They understand what we’re trying to do here.”

As senior entertainment director for the New York Liberty, Brooklyn Nets and Long Island Nets, Long helps coordinate branding and performances across the leagues. But of all the teams she works with, the Liberty are “close to my heart,” she says. At times, Ellie can even feel like an extension of herself. “You see yourself in her, or who you want to be,” she says. “To see her be so brave and really change the energy in a room is powerful.”

Of course, the WNBA has never been more stylish. Caitlin Clark wore Prada to this year’s WNBA Draft. Cameron Brink walked the orange carpet in a two-tone Balmain dress with a thigh-high slit. And tunnel shows were considered this year’s version of fashion. “Women can show off their best selves,” Long says. “And we wanted to do the same thing with Ellie.”

Before games, Long and her team discuss what she will wear and how it might impact fans. For example, Ellie wore a multi-colored outfit to Pride night, inspired by the Beyoncé song Renaissance Ellie, which New York Liberty brand director Shana Stephenson says is just one way she’s helping grow the game and reach non-traditional sports fans. “She speaks to our youth, our LGBTQ+ fan base, our entertainment enthusiasts, our fashionistas, our die-hard fans and everyone in between,” Stephenson says. “Everything we do is intentional about being authentic to Brooklyn and our diverse communities. Ellie is a reflection of that, and she definitely resonates with the fans.”

Everything Ellie wears is carefully curated by Long, who has come to appreciate the mascot’s market value. “Now that we understand her influence, we need to create a fee schedule for her,” she says, referring to a document that outlines the terms and costs of working with a content creator. “This is a new area in the mascot and influencer world, and also a very powerful asset for the New York Liberty. We’re trying to figure out how we’re going to manage that.”

As women’s basketball continues to experience unprecedented success, Ellie herself is experiencing growth. Long says she recently took inspiration from artist Erykah Badu to dress the elephant. “The way[Erykah]evolves in her fashion is exciting to watch, and I think it’s a story,” she explains. “Every time she comes into a space, you never know what she’s going to do with fashion.”

In many ways, Ellie is just as unpredictable and just as intentional. That, of course, is part of her magic. “I don’t often know what Ellie is going to do, but I see her be so brave and really change the energy in a room,” Long says. “It’s so powerful, and I think people are inspired by that.”