These Female Athletes Are Making Their Mark On Fashion

Who run the world? Girls. Beyoncé famously said it best. The sentiment rang especially true at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympic Games, where female athletes dominated the competition and earned long-overdue recognition for their achievements. Freestyle skier Eileen Gu secured one gold and two silver medals; ice skater Alysa Liu scored two golds; the USA women’s hockey team took home gold, defeating Canada. Indeed, these ladies are truly an inspiration — and lately, their influence has stretched beyond sports. Increasingly, women athletes around the world are making their mark on the fashion industry, too.

Take Gu, for instance. Fresh off the Winter Olympics — where she became the most decorated female freeskier in history — the 22-year-old sat front row at the Prada show during MFW Fall/Winter 2026. And she wasn’t the only athlete to accept the coveted invite: Caitlin Clark, a WNBA player for the Indiana Fever, was seated next to Gu. Both dressed head-to-toe in Prada, these young trailblazers fit right in with the high-style crowd, which also boasted emerging it girls Sarah Pidgeon and Maude Apatow.

Other female athletes have cemented themselves as up-and-coming street style stars, rivaling the classic model off-duty aesthetic. One such person is Ysaora Thibus, a French right-handed foil fencer. A style chameleon, the four-time Olympian attended numerous fashion shows this past year, becoming a magnet for photographers outside the shows. And the same could be said of tennis star Aryna Sabalenka, who has mastered the art of minimalism, as seen in her off-court outfits.

Below, find the female athletes whose style prowess has been impossible to ignore lately.

Eileen Gu

Indeed, Gu made sartorial waves at the Prada show, arriving in a tailored charcoal gray jacket and matching knee-grazing skirt. And she didn’t head home after the Milan festivities — the fashion darling touched down in Paris, where she looked like a real-life fairy at the Le Grande Dîner du Louvre in Iris Van Herpen. In a recent interview with Vogue, Gu shared that her passions include skiing, school, and fashion. “Fashion keeps me in touch with my femininity,” she told the outlet. “Growing up in a male-dominated sport, I didn’t realize being treated equally as a girl was even an option until I discovered the fashion industry.”

Ysaora Thibus

Thibus is a force to be reckoned with in the fashion scene. Over the past year alone, the fencer attended multiple fashion shows, a few being Lacoste and Ami. Thibus is also the brainchild of Nineteen Hundred, an independent magazine spotlighting female athletes through stories about sports, fashion, and culture. For its latest issue, the Paris-based creative wore a streamlined Ferragamo and Prada look styled by Elvira Tiaou.

Alysa Liu

Liu may have made headlines during the Olympic Games for her halo-style hair and frenulum piercing (a piercing located on the upper gum tissue), but her fashion sense is just as distinctive. Turns out, the skater has been teaming up with stylist Miyako Bellizzi, the Oscar-winning costume designer who worked on Marty Supreme. For The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon on March 3, Bellizzi dressed the 20-year-old in a NYC Nike white tee layered over a plaid button-up, finished with slouchy camo pants. “Billie Eilish on ice” was how one Instagram user described her in GQ’s post about the outfit, referencing the similarities between the two’s oversized, menswear-inspired styles.

Trinity Rodman

Trinity Rodman, a professional soccer forward for the Washington Spirit, is an emerging fashion girl to watch. Last month, the 23-year-old made history by becoming the highest-paid women’s soccer player in the world, signing the contract in a black Willy Chavarria suit, striped tie, and Adidas sneakers. According to a chat with GQ, Rodman is all for stepping outside the sartorial box. Describing her process behind getting dressed, she told the publication, “I’ll put it on, and even if I’m looking at something like, ‘Oh, that’s ugly.’ I’ll be like, ‘All right, let's put it on, see what happens.’ And then that ends up being the moment that people are like, ‘That was fire.’ And that’s dope.”

Catilin Clark

Caitlin Clark has become something of a Prada muse, officially joining the luxury label as an ambassador last month. Their relationship spans years: Clark was the first WNBA star Prada dressed for draft night, outfitted in a white satin two-piece for the big evening in 2024. She also consistently wears pieces from the fashion house for her beloved tunnel fits. Her style has become so sought after that there’s even an Instagram page devoted to identifying her looks, which also features items from cult-favorite contemporary brands like Aeyde, Veronica Beard, and Favorite Daughter.

Napheesa Collier

Napheesa Collier is another WNBA star who has risen to fashion stardom recently. “Last year was the first year that I started working with a stylist, and we were experimenting a lot — trying different looks, trying to find what my style is,” the Minnesota Lynx player told Vogue in an interview during WNBA All-Star Weekend last July. “This year I feel like I’ve grown into it a little bit more. I really like elevating more classic looks and making those into my own. I like a little bit of an edgier look and I definitely like darker colors.” A quick stroll through her Instagram page shows the athlete favoring leather, denim, and neutral shades.

Aryna Sabalenka

Sabalenka is a fixture on the fashion month circuit, too. Last month, the Belarusian tennis player attended the buzzed-about Gucci show, looking sharp in a pinstriped gray blazer and black trousers. In January, the fashion house named Sabalenka a global brand ambassador. “Welcome to the Gucci family, Aryna,” the brand wrote in a post announcing the news. In an interview with TZR over the summer, Sabalenka shared a few of her other go-to designers, which included Saint Laurent, Dior, and Alaïa. The athlete also just revealed that she’s engaged to Brazilian entrepreneur Georgios Frangulis — meaning, her bridal era is on the horizon.

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone

American track and field superstar Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, widely regarded as the greatest women’s 400-meter hurdler of all time, has made a splash in fashion as well. In 2024, she made her first foray into design, partnering with New Balance on a limited-edition clothing line. Meanwhile, McLaughlin-Levrone is a brand ambassador for Swiss luxury watchmaker TAG Heuer. According to an interview with Observer, her style inspiration is Sofia Grainge Richie, the reigning queen of quiet luxury.

Paige Bueckers

Paige Bueckers isn’t shy about a bold outfit moment. Styled by Brittany Hampton, the Dallas Wings player enjoys experimenting with fashion. “Masculine, feminine, crop tops, baggy clothes. I don’t want to put myself in a box,” she said to the New York Times about her style. Her tunnel fits reflect that fearless approach, spanning everything from colorful tracksuits to preppy polos and Bermuda shorts. She’s also partnered with major designers for milestone moments, including Coach for the 2025 WNBA draft.