Growing up in Seattle, Jesa Chiro, the founder of Coco Cultr, always looked up to her older brother Munya. “To a little sister, your older brother just seems like the coolest person in the world,” she recalls. “At least, that’s how I felt.” Munya was a basketball fanatic who collected anything related to the sport—jerseys, NBA 2K video games, bobbleheads, and all kinds of memorabilia. Some of Chiro’s earliest memories include waking up early for Munya’s basketball camps, watching games together, and joining him on trips to Goodwill to hunt for jerseys. The Chiro family were loyal Seattle SuperSonics fans until the team was sold in 2006, later moving to Oklahoma City and becoming the Thunder in 2008.
Though Chiro didn’t have the natural talent for basketball herself, she went through a phase of idolizing WNBA stars like Lauren Jackson and Sue Bird. (Her brother had the Sonics; she had the Seattle Storm.) At age 11, she received a wristband from Bird and says, “I never washed it.” Years later, she found her own connection to basketball not through playing or fandom, but through fashion.
“Why isn’t there any cute sportswear for women?” Chiro asks during a Zoom call from her patio. While that question might seem dated now, with so many brands and collaborations reshaping women’s sports apparel, Chiro noticed the gap early on. When the Sonics left Seattle, she felt the emotional pull of sports memorabilia and began collecting and reworking jerseys. She was also inspired by Xuly.Bët’s 1995 collaboration with Puma, which transformed unused soccer jerseys into dresses. “In an interview, designer Lamine Badian Kouyaté said, ‘Why not use something that would go to waste and make something new and beautiful?’ That really stuck with me. It’s how I approach Coco.”
Chiro started Coco Cultr during the pandemic while studying at Western Washington University. After graduating and moving to New York, she stumbled upon the Xuly.Bët fashion show on YouTube. Inspired, she bought an old Philadelphia 76ers jersey from a local vintage shop and began cutting and sewing without a plan. The next day, she wore her custom mini dress with “Sixers” across the front to her job at Procell, a vintage store on the Lower East Side. Her boss noticed it right away and said, “That’s really sick. Do you have more? We should carry this.” Procell became the first store to stock Coco Cultr and still does today.
The sustainable brand gained attention online for its upcycled vintage pieces, especially its jersey dresses. These dresses are A-line, body-conscious, and highlight NBA team logos. The rarer the jersey, the more excited Chiro is to work with it. Her designs have attracted attention from the sports and streetwear worlds, including celebrity stylists, WNBA teams, and brands like Nike and Supreme.
Chiro describes herself as a “digger” when it comes to hunting for vintage jerseys. “I love diving into what makes something rare,” she says. “What was happening at the time? Why this colorway? That’s the part I enjoy.” These days, with high demand, she has rules: no Michael Jordan Bulls jerseys (too common), and deadstock Ray Allen Sonics jerseys are a top priority.Are any of them Kobe Bryant’s?
“I try to find jerseys that are actually in good condition, which is hard,” she says. “And I especially love the weird ones—bootlegs, or basketball jerseys that aren’t even from real teams.” One of her best-sellers was a pink-and-silver “New York” jersey she turned into a two-piece. It wasn’t officially licensed, but that didn’t matter—it sold out as soon as she posted it online.
These days, Chiro can’t depend on thrift stores like she used to. Her orders and collections require very specific pieces. Instead, she visits multiple vendors, swap meets, and flea markets, and of course, scrolls endlessly online. But hunting at flea markets and collector meetups also brings some anxiety, all in the name of being transparent. “With one vendor, I was buying all these amazing, pristine, rare Sonic jerseys, but I had to tell him, ‘I might cut them up—I just want you to know,’” she says. To her surprise, he replied, “That’s so cool. You’re giving these jerseys a new life, and I love that.”
Like the sports world itself, memorabilia collecting is still largely male-dominated, something Chiro was aware of from the start. “I think the sportswear, basketball, and streetwear worlds are male-dominated,” she says, “but it feels like there’s a push now to get more women into these spaces.”
A self-proclaimed “girly-girl,” Chiro is drawn to the mix of sports and style—what athletes wear, how they wear it, and who designs it. She’s especially interested in feminine silhouettes, which, aside from Y2K-era jersey dresses and side-tie tanks, have been mostly absent from basketball merchandise. “There were so many jerseys for men, and the ones for women didn’t feel feminine,” she says. “I want to take something from a man’s world and make it totally feminine. I want to create a space for me and my people in this world.” With her short A-line dresses, often featuring double front pockets and sometimes asymmetrical necklines, she’s doing exactly that. Long term, she dreams of partnering with a WNBA team or an arena to sell her redesigned jerseys during games.
While one-of-a-kind orders are the heart of Coco Cultr—“it’s fun to create them for customers because they’re special to each person, like little art pieces,” Chiro says—they’re becoming harder to fulfill. For example, Angel Reese’s team recently reached out asking if Chiro could make a custom jersey dress in just one day. “I was like, ‘I don’t even have the jersey yet!’” she says.
Alongside Reese, Chiro dreams of seeing Rihanna in one of her dresses. To her, these women represent what she calls the “Coco girl.”
“A Coco girl is someone who creates her own world and leads her own life,” she says. “Anyone who’s true to themselves and does what they want to do—that’s a Coco girl.”
Frequently Asked Questions
Of course Here is a list of helpful and natural FAQs about Coco Cultrs new jersey dress
General Definition Questions
Q What exactly is a jersey dress
A Its a dress made from a soft stretchy and comfortable knit fabric similar to a highquality tshirt Its known for being easy to wear and move in
Q What makes Coco Cultrs jersey dress a new era
A Coco Cultr has likely reengineered the classic jersey dress with innovative design a superior fabric blend or unique features that elevate it beyond a basic knit dress focusing on fit versatility and style
Q What occasions is this dress suitable for
A Its incredibly versatile You can dress it down with sneakers for a casual day out or dress it up with heels and statement jewelry for a dinner or event Its elegance makes it suitable for the office too
Benefits Features
Q What are the main benefits of wearing a jersey dress
A The main benefits are exceptional comfort due to the stretchy fabric ease of care resistance to wrinkling and a flattering fit that moves with your body
Q Is it true that jersey dresses are flattering for all body types
A Yes thats a key advantage The knit fabric drapes beautifully and clings in a forgiving way Styles like Aline wrap or shirtdress silhouettes can be chosen to highlight your best features
Q How should I care for my Coco Cultr jersey dress to make it last
A To maintain its shape and softness its best to wash it in cold water on a gentle cycle and either lay it flat to dry or tumble dry on low heat Always check the specific care label first
Styling Practical Tips
Q What kind of bra should I wear with a jersey dress
A This depends on the dresss neckline and thickness Seamless Tshirt bras are a great universal choice For a dress with more structure a regular bra is fine For a very thin or clingy jersey you might consider a sticky bra or fashion tape
Q How can I prevent my jersey dress from clinging to my body in an unflattering way