These stylists — increasingly recruited by athletes at the outset of their careers — perform multifaceted roles for their clients which go far beyond dressing athletes for tunnel walks, award ceremonies and film premieres. They now provide wardrobe consultancy services, identifying a style and labels that reflect the personal brand the athlete wants to build. Stylists are also valuable conduits to fashion industry, procuring access to shows, VIP events and editorial opportunities, helping build long-term relationships with brands and designers.
LA-based Courtney Mays (@courtneydmays) works with a long list of sporting talent, including NBA All-Stars Chris Paul and DeAndre Jordan and WNBA legends Diana Taurasi and Brittney Griner, curating their personal style, dressing them for public appearances and even helping to convey social or political messages in times of intense media scrutiny.
Meanwhile, in Europe, where sport has been slower to embrace the world of fashion, 23-year-old Londoner Algen Hamilton (@suavo_brazy) has steadily built a reputation for styling some of the Premier League’s most fashionable young footballers — including Arsenal players Reiss Nelson and Kai Havertz, Chelsea’s Trevor Chalobah and Joe Willock of Newcastle United — breaking down long-held perceptions of how athletes’ lives should look away from sport.
Read more about the big business of styling professional athletes in our #linkinbio
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