2020 started with women’s soccer World Champion Megan Rapinoe staring in Loewe AW20 campaign and ended with Manchester United footballer Marcus Rashford in a Burberry cape (and on Vogue UK September Issue cover).
2021 started with tennis rising star Naomi Osaka becoming Louis Vuitton ambassador. Whilst we are just one month in the new year, it is safe to say that we can expect to see many more of these sports x high fashion partnerships in the coming months. Replacing ephemeral social media influencers on high profile billboards, top athletes have become highly valuable for brands beyond sportswear.
Megan Rapinoe for Loewe AW20,
Credit : Jonathan Anderson’s Instagram
Marcus Rashford MBE for Burberry, Courtesy of Burberry 
Vogue UK Septembre 2020 issue 
Naomi Osaka appointed new Louis Vuitton ambassador,
Courtesy of Louis Vuitton
Tenniswoman Naomi Osaka with Louis Vuitton womenswear designer Nicolas Ghesquière, Courtesy of Louis Vuitton
It is definitely not a first. Remember the legendary Louis Vuitton Icons campaign by Annie Leibovitz capturing sport legends among which Pelé, Maradona and Zidane playing foosball or the greatest boxer of all time, Muhammad Ali, with his grandson.
Muhammad Ali and his grandson, Courtesy of Louis Vuitton 
Larisa Latynina and Michaël Phelps, Courtesy of Louis Vuitton 
Steffi Graf and Andre Agassi,
Courtesy of Louis Vuitton
Diego Maradona, Pelé and Zinédine Zidane, Courtesy of Louis Vuitton
Top athletes have always been valuable. Yet, they used to mostly attract hard luxury brands such as watchmakers (think Hublot, Tag Heuer, Richard Mille…) or be restricted to accessories, rather than becoming high fashion ambassadors.
From mid-life crisis inspiration to catwalks
But this was before. Top athletes are no longer just enticing youngsters to buy sportswear goods or mid-life folks to spend big. They are a new living embodiment of values that appeals to a new generation of consumers and which luxury houses want to publicly testify their support to (may it be social justice, racial or gender equality, LGBTQ+…). Fashion luxury marketing historically relies on excellence and savoir faire in their brand narratives. However, in the recent year sportswear giants (among others) have adopted a more purpose driven approach which has become widespread in the industry in order to match younger generations’ expectations for brands to stand for more than transactional companies. At the same time, athletes who used not to take public political stance, in fear of alienating their fan base, started to express more and more their personal opinions on public matters. And it just made them even more loved.
Sports way of life
Athletes from this new generation are incredible assets to create emotional connections with people to boost both brand awareness and affinity. Not only do they remind them of memorable moments of sport victories and intense comebacks but also they are new forces for this « change » that a lot of us have been advocating for, yet often lacking concrete actions.
« To me, the goal of collaboration should not be to stand next to one another, but rather become something else, together.”
Megan Rapinoe, in For Real, a series of short films directed by Benn Northover
In Loewe short video series, footballer Meghan Rapinoe advocates for change to become a concrete thing. She also sees a more global opportunity for women in sports : « As we start to progress, and our sport becomes more popular and we start to become more successful, you have fashion designers wanting athletes who have become cultural[ly] significant, I think that fashion is a really good indication and case study for the progression of women’s sports. » (source W)
On the front of social justice, footballer Marcus Rashford became a real role model during 2020 first lockdown in the UK, forcing Boris Johnson’s government to make a U-turn in its decision to stop providing free meals for children during the holidays, at a time where the most vulnerable families got severely hit by the economical crisis due to the pandemic. A couple of months later he teamed up with Burberry to help support young people around the world : « The British fashion house will join forces with charities supporting the youth of today, helping to empower voices in programmes that range from education to supporting young creatives and artists, and helping entrepreneurs to tackle some of the world’s most significant challenges » (source Harper’s Bazaar UK). He issued a poignant letter to his 10-year old self to inspire others not to give up and keep on believing in their dreams.
“I’m by no means a politician but I had a voice and a platform that could be used to at least ask the questions. If I didn’t put myself out there and say, ‘This is not OK and it needs to change,’ I would have failed my 10-year-old self.”
Marcus Rashford, Source : the Guardian
As for Naomi Osaka, she took an activist stance against police brutality in the US by wearing seven masks featuring the names of black people shot by the USA Police, when playing (and winning) the 2020 US Open. Her support to the Black Lives Matters movement resonated with Nicolas Ghesquière, who has been creative director of Louis Vuitton since 2013 : « Naomi is an exceptional woman who represents her generation and is also a role model for everyone, her career and convictions are inspiring. I am in awe of Naomi, she stays true to herself and doesn’t compromise on her values. » (source Elle).
So, which fashion house will be first to sign Simone Biles this year ?
Sportswear Era 