Vanessa Bryant On Luxuries of Being A Basketball Wife: ‘I’ve Collected Birkin Bags’

I started to simply make my headline, “Vanessa Bryant Speaks”, as it is a rarity for the NBA wife to open her mouth. However, NY Mag somehow got Kobe Bryant’s wife to speak — somehow.

In an article entitled: “The Belles of B-Ball: How NBA Players’ Wives Vie for Fashion Dominance” (what better article to have in their September issue?), Vanessa spoke about the opulent lifestyle being the wife of the NBA superstar has afforded her, as well as fame & her alleged dislike for Khloe Kardashian.

On expensive purses:

“I’m not really a handbag person anymore,” says Kobe Bryant’s wife, Vanessa. “I’ve collected Birkin bags, Chanel 2.55 jumbo flap bags, and the Marc Jacobs Stephen Sprouse collection for Louis Vuitton since I was a teenager. But now, as they say, everyone and their mom is buying a Birkin or a regular size 2.55 bag in black, taupe, or beige. I’ve been sticking to a magenta suede Proenza Schouler bag.”

On (real life) basketball wives fame:

 “I thought things would go away, if you don’t feed into the b.s., and no one would think about you,” says Bryant, sitting on a black horseshoe-shaped couch on the palazzo outside of her pastel Newport Coast mansion, the Pacific spread beneath her, a Pomeranian named Gucci at her feet. “Now I realize I do have to talk about certain things. Still, I don’t like the limelight. There’s a lot of good you can do with fame, like creating awareness for a foundation, but a lot of negativity comes along with it.”

On her rocky relationship with Kobe: 

[Though sources] speculated that she would end up with half of Kobe’s estimated $150 million fortune… the relationship is on the mend, at least for now. “Um,” she says, “yes. We’re working on things.”

On her inspirations & Kobe Bryant’s style: 

“I’m inspired by Ann Miller and Monica Bellucci,” she says. “My mom dressed so ladylike, with high-waisted knee-length skirts, nylons, and long tailored coats, always on her way to work.” As far as Kobe’s style goes, “for the longest time I tried convincing Kobe that he should wear things a little more fitted,” she says. “And for years and years he was like, ‘I don’t feel comfortable, I feel like they rise.’ And now all of a sudden the stylist says it, and it makes sense…

Combatting stereotypes:

“I think people imagine that I sit at home with all the time in the world to do my hair and makeup, but that’s certainly not the case,” she says. “I’m up at 6:30 in the morning with my kids. I’m taking them wherever they need to go.”

On her alleged conflict with Khloe Kardashian:

“Everything is false,” she says. “Khloé was at my 29th birthday. I don’t get involved in the drama. I’ve been with Kobe since I was 17, so I’ve seen plenty of players, and plenty of wives, come and go. It wouldn’t benefit me whatsoever to have an issue with any of them, whether they were a girlfriend, or a wife, a person-of-a-month, or … you know. And I think that’s why the Lakers as an organization give me the access that I have, that other wives don’t have.”

On being married to a winner:

“I love basketball. And I know what goes on behind the scenes, so I have a different perspective on things, but still, I do. I certainly would not want to be married to somebody that can’t win championships. If you’re sacrificing time away from my family and myself for the benefit of winning championships, then winning a championship should happen every single year.”


Kudos to NY Mag on a great interview! Click HERE for more.

Celebrity Couples On The Scene: Beyonce & Jay-Z, Amber Rose & Wiz Khalifa, Kobe & Vanessa Bryant

Beyonce & Jay-Z strolled through Paris earlier today with baby Blue Ivy in tow. The couple were in town for the French leg of the “Watch The Throne” tour.

Amber Rose & Wiz Khalifa looked like quite the happy couple at the 2012 MTV Movie Awards yesterday, where Wiz performed. 

Kobe & Vanessa Bryant were all smiles at Disneyland on Saturday, alongside their daughters. Despite marital woes & rumors, the two definitely looked happy!

Publicity Stunt? – Kobe and Vanessa Reunite On Valentine’s Day

If I’m not mistaken, Vanessa Bryant took Kobe for $75 million & three mansions in their divorce proceedings last year (following claims of Kobe’s infidelity). So it’s a mystery to me why the two were so affectionate yesterday.

According to TMZ, Vanessa showed up for the Lakers Valentine’s Day victory over the Atlanta Hawks. The two even shared a kiss in the tunnel on the way into the locker room.

I don’t ever think I’ve seen Vanessa smile so big nor showcase this much cleavage! She looks great — & they look happy.

Good thing because their divorce doesn’t become final until June, meaning there is plenty of time for both to withdraw.

But on a final note, though I hate speculation, I do wonder if these two pulled some type of financial scheme with their very public divorce by putting things in Vanessa’s name. Just a thought.

Will Vanessa Bryant Be The Newest Star of VH1′s ‘Basketball Wives’?

Apparently the “Basketball Wives” franchise wants to add more actual wives of basketball players star power, as the series producers are looking to cast Vanessa Bryant in the forthcoming season of the Los Angeles spinoff.

Multiple sources close to the production report that producers are putting together “an extremely lucrative pitch for Vanessa” for her to become a recurring character.

As one source put it, “Vanessa has more than enough storyline and would bring the show to another level.”

As for the timing, sources reveal that producers never dreamed of approaching Vanessa while she was married to Kobe (as she would not have been receptive at the time nor is she now). 

Budget constraints were also an issue when the show was in its infant stages, because producers knew Vanessa would be very expensive, however now that the show is one of the highest rated shows on the network, producers have lots more to spend on talent.

If Vanessa accepts, producers would instantly make her a LEAD on the LA edition of the show.

In my humble opinion, I believe Vanessa Bryant could’ve been a star/socialite years ago if she wanted to, but she doesn’t seem like the type to seek attention. I’m also pretty sure Kobe made her sign some sort of nondisclosure agreement as a part of their divorce settlement. 

Source

Kobe Bryant’s Wife Files For Divorce, NO Prenup Involved

Kobe Bryant’s wife, Vanessa, has filed for divorce following accusations that the superstar NBA player cheated too much. Is this really a surprise? 

 Evidently Vanessa Bryant filed legal docs Friday afternoon, citing “irreconcilable differences.”

Sources state that Vanessa decided to end the marriage because she believes Kobe has been unfaithful.

As one source puts it, “She’s been dealing with these incidents for a long time and has been a faithful wife, but she’s finally had enough,” adding, “This one is the straw that broke the camel’s back.”

According to the legal docs, Vanessa is asking for joint custody of their 2 daughters — 8-year-old Natalia and 5-year-old Giana — from their 10 1/2 year marriage, but she is asking that Kobe get visitation rights.

 The kicker for me, however? The couple has NO PRENUP, so 29-year-old Vanessa is entitled to half of the empire Kobe built over the last decade. Wow.

Kobe, who filed his response to the divorce minutes after Vanessa filed her petition, says he will pay the spousal support that she’s requesting.

Vanessa signed the divorce petition on December 1.  Kobe signed his response on December 7.

The Bryants released a joint statement … saying they have “resolved all issues” privately, with the assistance of counsel. 

 I do wonder why Vanessa stuck around for so long, knowing that her husband was unfaithful – especially when there was no prenuptial agreement involved?

Divorce documents below: