Blake Griffin and Francesca Aiello have been together for some time. Photo: Getty Images
Blake Griffin and Francesca Aiello have been together for some time. Photo: Getty Images
Linked to the former NBA player after his split from Kendall Jenner, the swimwear founder has collaborated with stars including Sydney Sweeney and Pamela Anderson
Wedding bells might be ringing for former NBA star Blake Griffin and his fiancée, Francesca Aiello, who reportedly spent a grand weekend in Porto Ercole, Italy, celebrating with friends, says TMZ. The couple looked loved-up and were even photographed sharing a kiss. Guests included Griffin’s supermodel ex, Kendall Jenner, whom he reportedly started dating in August 2017 but split from after a few months, per People.
While it has been speculated that Griffin, 37, and Aiello, 31, may have tied the knot on their European getaway, neither the former power forward nor his entrepreneur partner has confirmed the news. The pair announced their engagement in January 2025, less than a year after he retired from the NBA.
So, what do we know about Francesca Aiello? Read on to find out.
What is Francesca Aiello’s background?
Francesca Aiello models for her swimwear brand, Frankies Bikinis. Photo: @francescaaiello/Instagram
Francesca Aiello models for her swimwear brand, Frankies Bikinis. Photo: @francescaaiello/Instagram
Aiello hails from Malibu, California, where she was born on March 16, 1995. She spent her summers working as a junior lifeguard in the mornings, surfing in the afternoons and practising water polo at night, she said in a 2024 interview with VS Insider, a blog run by Victoria’s Secret. Aiello is close to her mother, whom she calls her inspiration. Growing up, she was friends with Gigi Hadid, and they remain close.
How did Francesca Aiello launch Frankies Bikinis?
(From left) Gigi Hadid, Dean DiCriscio and Francesca Aiello at an event for Frankies Bikinis in 2022. Photo: @francescaaiello/Instagram
(From left) Gigi Hadid, Dean DiCriscio and Francesca Aiello at an event for Frankies Bikinis in 2022. Photo: @francescaaiello/Instagram
Aiello was in secondary school when, inspired by a woman wearing a bold bikini bottom on the beach, she started designing her own bikinis. “My mom encouraged me to bring my design ideas to a seamstress, and eventually all my friends were asking for my custom bikinis, too,” she recalled to VS Insider. Eventually, the Instagram page @frankiesbikinis was born, and it started gaining traction, even catching the eye of supermodel Candice Swanepoel.
In 2012, 17-year-old Aiello and her mother, Mimi, founded Frankies Bikinis. At 19, she became the youngest designer to debut a collection at Miami Swim Week. She has collaborated with stars like Gigi and Bella Hadid, Sydney Sweeney and Pamela Anderson, and has expanded into ready-to-wear and beauty.
Aiello even made Forbes’ 30 Under 30 in 2022. “I want girls to look at our brand and feel inspired and confident, not body shame themselves or question their appearances,” she told Forbes.
Her relationship with Blake Griffin
Francesca Aiello in a bikini set in June, sporting what appears to be her engagement ring. Photo: @francescaaiello/Instagram
Francesca Aiello in a bikini set in June, sporting what appears to be her engagement ring. Photo: @francescaaiello/Instagram