Fashion and sport have long been intertwined, with top athletes sitting front row at catwalk shows, being tapped as brand ambassadors and setting trends with their style.
Over the past year, that connection has only grown, especially among male athletes, who are increasingly demonstrating their star power and style influence and may now have a bigger impact on fashion brands than other public figures.
More from WWD"I don't think the male consumer is just now realizing that the athlete is some kind of fashion icon. I think the fashion world is only now seeing the athlete as a fashion icon," says fashion stylist Courtney Mays, who works with NBA players like Chris Paul, Kevin Love and others. "I often say that men don't necessarily watch the Oscars to see what the best tuxedo is to buy, but they do watch the Games that night. It's cool that the tunnel walk now provides some kind of insight into the personal style sensitivity of athletes and therefore into their personality."
More attention than ever was paid to athletes' style in 2023, with the NBA tunnel still being watched as often as the basketball games themselves; the NFL Tunnel is becoming a highly anticipated feature of football matches - thanks in part to players like Taylor Swift, Travis Kelce, Joe Burrow and others - and the continued growth of Formula 1 worldwide and the increasing number of brands participating at the circuit.
Fashion brands strengthened their presence in the sports world with new ambassadors and initiatives, such as Puma unveiling its F1 collection designed by creative director A$AP Rocky; Louis Vuitton signs tennis champion Carlos Alcaraz, fencer Enzo Lefort and swimmer Léon Marchand as ambassadors, and Tumi continues its collaboration with F1 driver Lando Norris and Tottenham footballer Son Heung-min, among others.
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For many of these brands, these ambassadorships become some of their most lucrative partnerships due to their extensive influence and reach.
According to data from Launchmetrics, many of the top-performing male athletes of 2023 have secured higher levels of media impact value. to male musicians or actors.
Launchmetrics data shows that footballers Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo topped the rankings of top-performing male athletes in the first half of 2023, each generating $1.8 million in media impact value. This compares to the company's list of top-performing male actors, in which Zac Efron and Tom Holland ranked first and second with $1 million in media impact value each. Messi and Ronaldo's earnings were also higher than those of the top-performing male musicians, with K-pop group BTS's V taking the top spot with $1.4 million in media impact value, followed by Justin Bieber with $1.1 million of media impact value.
This reign of male athletes and their star power was also seen at the bottom of each list's rankings, with David Beckham in 10th place. e spot with $504,300 in media impact value, compared to musician Chris Brown with $337,400 in media impact value and actor Leonardo DiCaprio with $205,900 in media impact value.
"I think the public recognizes the influence that male athletes have in fashion," said Kyle Smith, NFL fashion content strategist. "A big part of that is with our athletes; we can watch them in their best moments - when they win and when they lose and how they behave in the face of adversity. That creates such an immersive, storytelling moment with our athletes that allows fans to really connect with them and so it gives the opportunity to let our players speak and tell their stories."
Several factors have helped increase athletes' influence, especially their widespread appeal among fans, who are drawn not only by their athleticism but also by their personalities, which has then shed light on their respective styles.
This widespread appeal has in turn allowed fashion brands to reach a wider audience by working with athletes from different sports. For example, in 2023, men's brand Psycho Bunny made a move into the world of sports by appointing F1 presenter Will Buxton as its brand ambassador and has plans to engage with golf and tennis in significant ways this year, all part of the aim of the brand to expand internationally. .
"Athletes are often viewed as credible and trustworthy individuals," said Eddie Capobianco, vice president of influencer marketing at the NFL. "This may be mainly due to their dedication, their discipline and their success in their respective sports. We talk a lot about relatability and how many athletes are recognizable figures who often come from different backgrounds and have overcome challenges to achieve their success. Their stories and journeys all resonate with consumers and make them more likely to support and engage with brands that endorse athletes."
This relatability is one of the reasons why athletes have made natural brand ambassadors for fashion labels, which are looking for representatives who embody their values in an authentic way.
"I wouldn't say so much that they are stylish for Tumi, but more that their versatile lifestyle has helped them become icons," says Jill Krizelman, Tumi's senior vice president of global marketing and e-commerce, of the two sports ambassadors. brand. . "They bring athletics and fashion together. What drew us to them in the first place is really their similarities to our brand in terms of this kind of relentless pursuit of excellence and the constant determination - this idea of people who are constantly on the move and traveling as part of their career."
Diversity also plays a big factor in athlete appeal. While industries like Hollywood have long been criticized for their lack of inclusivity, sports leagues like the NFL and NBA have championed diversity, both in terms of race and body types.
"The NBA is a prominent black man," Mays said. "The fashion world has had a really hard time accepting black male celebrities and there is definitely a huge gap between what they have to offer to 'add any white male celebrity to the A-list' and minority celebrities. Athletes have been a bit at the bottom of the totem pole before that. And also the fear of size. When you hear basketball player you immediately think of someone who is six feet tall, but I think there is so much diversity in body types. There are so many different bodies in this world, why not show everyone the clothes?
The number of competitions and public appearances athletes make each season gives them plenty of opportunities to show off and experiment with their style. For the NBA, each team plays roughly 82 games per season, with players like Kyle Kuzma, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Russell Westbrook and many others sporting outfits from luxury and streetwear labels. The 17-game NFL regular season has presented similar style opportunities, with players like Kelce, Burrow, Deebo Samuel, Jalen Hurts and others making waves with their pre-game looks.
"Every Sunday, every game day is our red carpet," Smith said. "Our tunnel entrances and player arrivals have the same effect and weight as red carpets in the fashion industry. It's an opportunity for brand representatives to wear clothes and express themselves. What I love about our players arriving is that it's every Sunday and we know to expect it every Sunday. It's basically a fashion show every Sunday."
Athletes' style influence is not expected to diminish this year. With tentpole events like the Super Bowl in February, the Euro 2024 Football Championship in June and the Summer Olympics in Paris in July, it's only a matter of time before more fashion brands get in on the action.
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