A recent article written by fashion journalist Vanessa Friedman for The New York Times poses the question: “When Will Fashion Discover Ronda Rousey?” Friedman challenges the apparent reluctance of luxury fashion to recruit elite female athletes as models for ad campaigns and as brand ambassadors. Trust me, in no way do I intend to belittle the careers of professional models. I shamelessly indulge in the wild antics and effortlessly chic selfies of Kendall Jenner, Cara Delevingne, and their supermodel peers on Instagram. That being said, I also follow the adventures of professional surfers Alana Blanchard and Coco Ho, world champion soccer star Alex Morgan, and, most recently, undefeated UFC champ Ronda Rousey. Each of these women is stunning, strong, and exceptionally talented. Like Friedman, I can’t help but wonder what exactly the fashion industry is waiting for.
It certainly is not uncommon for the fashion and sports worlds to join forces; however, recognition of female athletes by the fashion industry is noticeably lacking. Luxury designers often recruit elite male athletes to join their brands but continue to overlook the similar aesthetic of female athletes. Spanish tennis champion Rafael Nadal and soccer stars David Beckham and Cristiano Ronaldo, for instance, have modeled for Armani underwear and denim ads. Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger, Lacoste, Ralph Lauren, and H&M have also introduced ad campaigns featuring male athletes. Meanwhile, can you think of a single female athlete who has been the ambassador for a major designer brand? I can’t! A similar lack of recognition was apparent at the 2015 ESPY Awards in July. Aside from Caitlyn Jenner’s Versace gown and the U.S. Women’s Soccer Team’s designer frocks, few female athletes were praised for their red carpet appearances. “Best Dressed” lists for an awards show recognizing standout sports stars included more A-list celebrities donning designer gowns than professional athletes. The headline for one such list published by Glamour.com reads “Kendall and Kylie Jenner, Britney Spears, and More Best-Dressed at the ESPY Awards,” and of the 10 women featured on the list, only three are athletes.
Traditional sportswear and athletic brands always have and undoubtedly always will endorse female athletes. Russian tennis star Maria Sharapova and sportswear empire Nike, for example, have collaborated for more than a decade, and in 2010 they extended their contract for an additional eight years. An emerging trend, however, has revealed that these same athletic brands are eager to form fresh, meaningful partnerships with the fashion industry’s most famous faces as well. Nike’s 2014 fall ad campaign starred former Victoria’s Secret Angel Karlie Kloss, and Under Armour’s newest ad campaign features supermodel Gisele Bündchen alongside downhill skiing champ Lindsey Vonn, ballerina Misty Copeland, women’s soccer world champion Kelley O’Hara, and professional surfer Brianna Cope. When asked why Nike had partnered with Karlie Kloss, vice president and general manager of Nike’s women’s division Amy Montagne stated, “We will always work with the amazing athletes, first and foremost… but we also work with women who are connected to sport and fitness. And models like Karlie have that strong connection to sport and fitness.” Indeed, Kloss studied ballet before her modeling career took off and continues to practice it recreationally, in addition to yoga, running, and boxing workouts. It made sense that the supermodel and sportswear unite.
But wouldn’t it also make sense then that designers with active-wear collections include authentic athletes in ad campaigns and as their brand ambassadors? These designers are attempting to reach a market that is attracted to fitness and athletics.
Finally, let us consider the case of Ronda Rousey. The UFC champ is everywhere. She was named Female Athlete of the Year at the 2015 ESPY Awards and won her most recent title bout in Rio de Janeiro in just 34 seconds. She won an Olympic bronze medal in Judo at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing and even boasts an impressive resume as an actress, having appeared in "The Expendables 3" in 2014, "Furious 7" in April of 2015, and most recently as one of the female leads in the film "Entourage." With 4.4 million followers on Instagram and nearly 1.6 million on Twitter, there’s no denying that Rousey’s unmatched talent and brazen, kick-ass attitude have captured worldwide attention. If you ask me, it's only a matter of time before fashion discovers Ronda Rousey.
Hopefully a change in perspective within the fashion industry is on its way. Until then, let's continue to show the same amount of respect for the women who grace the pages of Vogue and Sports Illustrated.
