How Athletes Are Redefining Culture Through the Intersection of Sport and Fashion

From tunnel walks to runway walks, these women are reframing what it means to be a multihyphenate.

Olivia Dunne was photographed by James Macari in Loreto, Baja California Sur, Mexico. Swimsuit by Myra Swim. Ilona Maher was photographed by James Macari in Loreto, Baja California Sur, Mexico. Swimsuit by Frankies Bikinis. | James Macari/Sports Illustrated

Whether you’re a diehard Knicks fan or follow the WNBA religiously, we can all agree on one thing: Today’s athletes are shaping culture like never before. From tunnel walks to runway walks, athletes like Sophie Cunningham and Angel Reese are showcasing what it means to succeed both on and off the court—and fashion is at the forefront.

Sophie Cunningham’s 2026 SI Swimsuit feature, game play on May 28, 2026 and tunnel walk outfit on May 17, 2026 | Katherine Goguen/Sports Illustrated, Ezra Shaw/Getty Images and A.J. Mast/Getty Images

Rather than merely competing in their sport, today’s most successful athletes are tastemakers who are using their influence to impact much more than just the game. Take, for example, Olympic rugby sevens champion Ilona Maher. In addition to having a bronze medal to her name, she has nearly 10 million combined followers across Instagram and TikTok, a runner-up title on Season 33 of Dancing With the Stars and a sportswear collection that encourages women to live authentically. The three-time SI Swimsuit model just walked the magazine’s runway for the second year in a row, and following critique over one of her looks, used her platform to speak out about the public’s tendency to tear down women’s bodies.

Ilona Maher backstage during the SI Swimsuit Runway Show at Swim Week. Swimsuit by Belletage Swimwear. | Alexander Tamargo/Getty Images

“What’s particularly interesting is that this shift reflects a larger cultural evolution,” Melinda Cragan Lindland, North America Managing Director of Spring Studios, explains of today’s multihyphenate athlete. “The worlds of fashion, sport, entertainment and media are no longer operating in separate lanes. Athletes are appearing on magazine covers, launching fashion labels, sitting front row at runway shows and shaping trends in real time. They are no longer just participants in culture, they are helping define it.”

Much like athletes are no longer being confined to just their sport these days, Cragan Lindland and her team have created a space in which brands can foster elevated experiences that blur the lines between industries, proving just how much fashion, sport and culture often overlap. Spring, a full-service studio located in Manhattan, has hosted everything from New York Fashion Week shows to theWall Street Journal Future of Everything.

When it comes to the athletes who are shaping the conversation around fashion and influence, Cragan Lindland cites Russell Westbrook, Lewis Hamilton, Coco Gauff, Jalen Hurts and Caitlin Clark as a few powerhouse players. By expressing themselves through their clothing, these athletes are connecting with fans in a way that feels personal, rather than performative, Cragan Lindland says.

Caitlin Clark | Jeff Haynes/Getty Images

“What stands out most is not necessarily what they're wearing, but the confidence and authenticity behind it,” Cragan Lindland adds. “The athletes who have the greatest influence today are often the ones with the clearest point of view. They are not simply following trends; they are shaping them. That’s why brands, designers and media organizations are paying closer attention than ever before.”

And since many of today’s athletes have created personal brands that defy just their sport, fans are more likely to look to their influence both in and out of the gym. After cultivating a massive fanbase as a gymnast at LSU, 23-year-old athlete-turned-actress Olivia Dunne has a combined 13.1 million followers across TikTok and Instagram. Since retiring from her sport, Dunne has gone on to earn an SI Swimsuit Issue cover, a recurring role on Fox’s Baywatch reboot, and lucrative deals with brands like NOBULL, Miller Lite and more.

Olivia Dunne | TheStewartofNY/Getty Images

“The most impactful figures today often sit at the intersection of multiple disciplines, and athletes are among the strongest examples of that,” Cragan Lindland notes of today’s multihyphenate athletes. “They have become as likely to shape fashion trends, brand partnerships, and consumer behavior as traditional celebrities.”

She adds that moving forward, brands that understand that culture intersects sports, fashion, live experiences and more will be the ones that stand out among the rest. Fans who follow Fashion Week, for example, are just as likely to also be tuning in to the NBA playoffs, she notes, which presents a unique opportunity for brands to capture new customers across a number of disciplines.

“Culture is increasingly interconnected, and the most relevant brands recognize that,” Cragan Lindland explains. “For brands, the opportunity is not simply to reach an audience, but to become part of the conversations that audience is already having. Activations that sit at the intersection of fashion, sport, entertainment and culture create a level of engagement that traditional advertising often struggles to achieve because they allow people to experience a brand rather than just see it.”

Last month, this intersection between fashion, sport and culture was experienced by fans firsthand at Spring, where we hosted the SI Swimsuit Social Club. During launch week in May, we offered models, magazine staff and the public the opportunity to mix and mingle during an immersive, two-day experience.

Whether we’re celebrating SI Swimsuit’s annual magazine release in New York City or heading to the Sunshine State for Swim Week, attendees have the opportunity to experience what our partners have to offer, from custom embroidered bags to on-site manicures. And though the issue only comes out once a year, SI Swimsuit’s Super Bowl weekend activations, appearances at major sporting events like the F1 Grand Prix and others bring models, athletes and fans together to celebrate major cultural milestones.

Shannon Ford, Ali Truwit, Christen Harper, Haley Baylee, Olivia Dunne, Achieng Agutu, Gabi Moura and Jena Sims during SI Swimsuit Social Club at Spring Studios | Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images

In order to stay competitive in today’s landscape, Cragan Lindland recommends brands offer interactive experiences that help foster community and meet consumers where they are—at the intersection of fashion, sport, media and more.

“Some of the most compelling events today bring together audiences, industries and ideas that might have once existed separately,” she says. “When fashion, sport, media, entertainment and hospitality converge in the same space, it creates the kind of energy and cultural relevance that brands are increasingly seeking to be part of.”

SI Swimsuit Social Club | Courtesy of Kevin Cryer-Hassett

Spring is ready to embrace where culture is heading, and the creative campus located in the heart of Tribeca is primed for supporting the coexistence of fashion, sport and culture across a number of industries.

“Athletes are collaborating with fashion brands, media companies are producing content around sports and culture, and brands are looking for ways to engage audiences across all of those worlds simultaneously,” Cragan Lindland observes. “... The traditional boundaries between industries continue to fade, and some of the most interesting work is happening in the spaces where those worlds overlap. That’s something we’ve been fortunate to witness—and help facilitate—every day.”

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