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Marta Suárez carried a hand-painted H&M bag featuring a pink and red eye design to the WNBA Draft
The artwork was inspired by her March Madness experience and included colors symbolizing the WNBA
Suárez had her draft class sign the bag, turning it into a unique keepsake from the special night
Marta Suárez didn’t just bring a handbag to the WNBA Draft, she brought a piece of her own art.
On Monday, April 15, the 23-year-old Spanish basketball player walked the Orange Carpet at The Shed in New York City carrying a small black rectangular shoulder bag from H&M, one that immediately stood out thanks to its hand-painted design.
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As it turns out, Suárez wasn’t just making a fashion statement. When asked about her secret talent, Suárez, who was drafted No. 16 to the Golden State Valkyries, revealed that she paints, holding up the bag as proof.
“I painted it while I was getting my makeup done,” she tells PEOPLE exclusively. “It was kinda last-minute.”
Marta Suarez poses for a photo on the Orange Carpet
Credit: Catalina Fragoso/NBAE via Getty
Still, the design — a pink and red eye — wasn’t random. Suárez shared that the artwork was inspired by another creative project she worked on earlier this month for March Madness.
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“You know, it was a pretty special run, but I think an eye means a lot for very different people,” the former TCU player says. “I always leave the different things I do up for interpretation.”
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Closeup of the bag
Credit: Kristina Bumphrey/WWD via Getty
But the bag didn’t just reflect her creativity, it, also became a keepsake from the night.
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On the back of the purse, Suárez revealed that she had her entire draft class, including Azzi Fudd, Lauren Betts and Kiki Rice, sign it in silver ink, turning the accessory into a one-of-a-kind memento from one of the biggest nights of her career.
“Obviously, the red and the pink, and I wanted to put a little orange in it for the WNBA,” she adds.
Read the original article on People