New York Fashion Week is a cultural stage where creativity and influence converge, and this year’s Spring/Summer 2026 edition further spotlighted the growing relationship between sports and fashion, particularly through the lens of women in sports.
Among the standout faces at NYFW this season were athletes whose impact extends far beyond the arenas and courts. Olympic gymnasts Jordan Chiles and Sunisa Lee, basketball stars Deja Kelly, Rickea Jackson, Okikiola Iriafen, Aneesah Morrow, and Azzi Fudd, as well as former WNBA star Liz Cambage, represent a rising movement: women athletes embracing fashion as an extension of their influence.
Deja Kelly walked her first NYFW runway show for Romeo Hunte, while Liz Cambage walked for Grace Ling.
It wasn’t just athletes, either. Sports broadcasters Ros Gold-Onwude, Ashley Nicole Moss, and Arielle Chambers (host of the House of ESPN at NYFW and a leading voice for women’s sports) were also present, further cementing the sports-fashion crossover.
The presence of these women at NYFW underscores how sports and fashion, though distinct industries, share a common thread: they are both global languages that inspire, disrupt, and challenge norms.
Fashion offers these athletes a canvas to share their own stories. Jordan Chiles’s playful confidence, Azzi Fudd’s chic aesthetic, Liz Cambage’s unapologetic boldness, Sunisa Lee’s grace, Rickea Jackson’s aura, and Deja Kelly’s elegance all become fashion statements that endear them to broader audiences. These appearances challenge outdated ideas that women in sports must fit into narrow roles, whether regarding their appearance, clothing, or way of carrying themselves.
The visibility of women athletes in spaces like New York Fashion Week also highlights empowerment through representation. For young girls watching, the message is clear: strength and style are not mutually exclusive. You can dominate in sports and still command presence in fashion. You can pursue excellence in one field and thrive in another. You can be multifaceted, and most importantly, you can shape culture across industries.
Shoutout to the stylists, photographers, videographers, makeup artists, and creative teams who help craft these moments.
As the curtains draw on NYFW SS26 , the intersection of sports, fashion, and women’s empowerment becomes a movement and a reality. By stepping onto fashion’s biggest stage, these athletes and industry heads are reaffirming that women are multidimensional forces capable of breaking boundaries in every field they touch.
