A History of Athletes in Vogue
Fashion’s love affair with sports is in full bloom. NBA stars arrive to arenas in looks seemingly pulled straight from the runway (though they’re often custom, given how tall basketball players are) and in recent years, the NFL has become a bastion of style, with Birkins and Louis Vuitton duffles rapidly replacing players’ traditional gym bags. Last summer, Vogue World made its way to Paris for a mesmerizing celebration of fashion and sport, just weeks before the City of Light played host to the most stylish Olympics ever—the LVMH-sponsored 2024 Games.
As Vogue celebrates the ever-popular intersection of fashion and sports with a series of digital covers, we’re revisiting some of our favorite shoots and interviews with athletes throughout the years. From the first time Venus and Serena Williams graced the pages of the magazine (as teens in Carolina Herrera circa 1998) to that afternoon Hamish Bowles hooped with Amar’e Stoudemire, take a look back on a history of athletes in Vogue.
Photographed by Annie Leibovitz, Vogue, May 19981/11Venus and Serena Williams, 1998
Venus and Serena Williams made their Vogue debut in the May 1998 issue—dressed in Carolina Herrera, no less. They were on the brink of two of the most successful careers in tennis history, but still your typical teens. For an afternoon with writer Julia Reed, they had one thing in mind: a trip to the mall.
Photographed by Patrick Demarchelier, Vogue, December 20042/11Roger Federer, 2004
Roger and Mirka Federer had yet to tie the knot when they were interviewed by Robert Sullivan in 2004, but Mirka was already fully invested in her future husband s success. She was managing his schedule, coordinating his press, and notably, styling his looks—on and off the court.
Photographed by Norman Jean Roy, Vogue, April 20113/11Amar’e Stoudemire, 2011
Vogue contributor Hamish Bowles knew very little about basketball when he profiled—and scrimmaged—with then New York Knick Amar’e Stoudemire in 2011. “I thought dunking was something you did with a beignet and a cup of steaming coffee,” he admitted. While Bowels didn t learn how to dunk, he got quite the education… and workout.
Photographed by Annie Leibovitz, Vogue, June 20124/11Dwyane Wade, 2012
Dwyane Wade was emerging as one of the most stylish NBA players in the league when he appeared in the June 2012 issue of Vogue. Today, both his athleticism and sense of style are worthy of Hall of Fame honors.
Photographed by Annie Leibovitz, Vogue, April 20155/11Serena Williams, 2015
In her first of three Vogue covers, and in conversation with Rebecca Johnson, Serena Williams put an old debate to rest: that women who compete against each other on the court can t be friends. The story highlights Williams s close relationship with fellow tennis player Caroline Wozniacki, which remains strong to this day.
