February Spotlight: Black Athletes In Fashion

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It goes without saying that Serena always serves up a winning fashion moment, on and off the court. Since the early 90’s she’s consistently innovated tennis apparel trends and brought her sartorial eye to her competition wear, from denim skirts to statement jewelry and catsuits. It's no wonder that so many of Serena's looks often make headlines and inevitably land on best-dressed lists. She's a style icon, now with her very own fashion line S by Serena and Serena Williams Jewelry. 

     

Photo: Brian Bahr

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From unique hairstyles and piercings to his avant-garde approach to clothing, Dennis Rodman’s style has always had a way of shocking people. The Bulls basketball player was wearing skirts before it was cool, and often appeared on late-night talk shows in mesh and leather ensembles. Rodman was a style visionary and true trendsetter.

      

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With her head-turning looks and lightning speed, Florence ‘FloJo’ Griffith Joyner captivated the world from the start. Her racing looks consisted of a variety of different outfits – some fluorescent, some lace, and some bearing one leg. FloJo was the inspiration behind Serena's red, pink, and black asymmetric catsuit at the Australian Open in 2021! “Dress good to look good. Look good to feel good. And feel good to run fast!”—Florence Griffith Joyner

     

5) VENUS WILLIAMS

Photo: Ken Maynard

Like her sister, Venus is known for her love of fashion, both on and off the tennis court. She's known for her chic and fashion-forward looks, and thus is a natural style influencer. She has her own clothing line, which she’s been running since 2007. The tennis-star-turned-fashion-boss has also collaborated with other notable designers.

     

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When he's not racing around circuits at more than 200mph, Hamilton is making his mark in the fashion industry. He launched his first menswear collection in 2018, making sustainability a vital part of his design process. "My inspiration came from being someone who has a love and appreciation for fashion and individual style, but who is always on the go." —Lewis Hamilton

       

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Dina Asher-Smith is Britain’s fastest woman, known for making history over 100m and 200m, while also gracing the covers of major fashion magazines and even modelings at international fashion weeks. Asher-Smith has her own Barbie doll and, in 2019, was listed as one of Sports Illustrated's Fashionable 50. "I'm definitely a 'live in the moment' kind of person and always like to have fun, and I think that comes through with the way that I dress." —Dina Asher-Smith

       

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Lebron embodies style-consciousness, even when he goes for a casual look. The fit is always on point, and he kills it with the accessories, including effortlessly bringing the fedora back. “I don't really have one style. I can wear shorts and a tank from my Nike collection, I can wear a three-piece suit or I can wear a shirt and slacks. I'm pretty flexible. It's all about confidence, man!”, James says. Since landing his sneaker deal in 2003, LeBron shoes have become some of the most recognized and sought-after basketball shoes in the world.

       

Photo: Joshua Kissi

Grand Slam champ Sloane Stephens has recently leant her talents to the fashion world. Last year, she designed on a 23-piece swim and beachwear collection, inspired by her many hours on the court. The collection focuses on details like seams, ruching, and cut to make sure those wearing the pieces can be as active as they want without sacrificing style.

These nine sports icons have shifted the expectations of athletes, creating role models who have changed the game in fashion as well as their sport.