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Agenda-setting intelligence, analysis and advice for the global fashion community.

How Social Media Turned Athletes Into Fashion Marketing Machines

Platforms like Instagram let sports stars connect with fans in ways they couldn’t previously, while helping to make fashion a vital element of an athlete’s image and branding.
Platforms like Instagram let sports stars connect with fans in ways they couldn’t previously, while helping to make fashion a vital element of an athlete’s image and branding.
Platforms like Instagram let sports stars connect with fans in ways they couldn’t previously, while helping to make fashion a vital element of an athlete’s image and branding. (Getty Images)

To get a snapshot of fashion’s sports-marketing playbook in 2023, start with the tie-up between Louis Vuitton and LeBron James.

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Further Reading

Case Study | Fashion’s New Rules For Sports Marketing

Capitalising on sport’s soaring commercial and cultural relevance is becoming a primary focus for fashion brands. Winning sports-marketing strategies today hinge on building long-term, collaborative partnerships with athletes and organisations that resonate with a brand’s target consumers, as experts in BoF’s latest case study explain.

Why Luxury Brands Are Pivoting to Athletes

In the key China market, sports stars are an increasingly popular choice for luxury brands aiming to broaden their appeal while limiting their exposure to scandal-prone entertainers.

How Athletes Went From Selling Merch to Building Fashion Brands

High-profile athletes used to make money by inking licensing deals with retailers that use their names on jerseys and shorts. Today, sports stars like Russell Westbrook and Megan Rapinoe are launching their own labels, with full financial and creative control.

About the author
Marc Bain
Marc Bain

Marc Bain is Technology Correspondent at The Business of Fashion. He is based in New York and drives BoF’s coverage of technology and innovation, from start-ups to Big Tech.

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