They’re making waves not just in sports — but across the entire fashion landscape.

WNBA star Angel Reese and three-time Olympic gold medalist Gabby Thomas have officially taken over the cover of Vogue’s Winter 2025 issue, a moment that signals how deeply the worlds of athletics and high fashion are now intertwined. Both women, already champions in their respective fields, sat down with Vogue to explore how style has shaped their identities and expanded their influence beyond competition. (Vogue)

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Angel Reese: The Bayou Barbie Who Blends Glam and Game

Angel Reese, now a standout forward for the Chicago Sky, became widely known during her LSU days as “Bayou Barbie”, a nickname that highlighted her mix of on-court dominance and off-court glamor. Major outlets have noted that Reese’s sense of style has become a defining part of her brand, often making headlines alongside her athletic achievements. (Good Morning America, Black Enterprise)

Reese explained that her connection to fashion is lifelong:

“It’s always been both: basketball and fashion. I was always in my mom’s closet, putting on her stuff. I liked to carry a purse. Hair done. I wanted to look put together. I still do.”

She also shared that she used to mimic runway walks while watching America’s Next Top Model, turning her living room into a practice runway. That early fascination is paying off now — Vogue reported that Reese hopes to make her debut at Paris Fashion Week this year, proving that her ambitions stretch far beyond basketball. (WBRZ, Bustle)

Her Vogue cover, styled in a dramatic red Versace gown, symbolizes the way she seamlessly shifts between athlete and fashion icon — a dual identity she openly embraces.

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Gabby Thomas: From Track Superstar to Emerging Fashion Voice

Gabby Thomas returned from the Paris 2024 Olympics with three gold medals, cementing her status as one of the most electrifying sprinters of her generation. Yet, as she told Vogue, she feels she’s only beginning to explore fashion as a creative outlet. (Good Morning America)

Thomas, who studied neurobiology, global health, and epidemiology at Harvard, approaches fashion with curiosity and intention. Though she already has an established sense of style, she said she’s now experimenting more:

She recalled trying on a white Carolina Herrera dress at a fashion show and thinking, “Oh, oh-kaay,” realizing how transformative high fashion can feel. (Black Enterprise)

She shared that her beauty and styling routines are evolving too, reflecting her desire to present a polished, elevated version of herself — whether she’s sprinting down a track or walking a red carpet.

Thomas has also spoken previously about her long-term goals in public health and medicine, noting that fashion is another facet of her growing, multidimensional career. (TIME Magazine)

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A Larger Movement: When Sports and Fashion Collide

The Vogue feature doesn’t stop with Reese and Thomas. The issue also highlights top tennis player Frances Tiafoe and discusses the broader cultural shift as athletes increasingly take center stage in fashion. Vogue presented the theme as “When Sports Met Fashion”, a recognition that athletes now occupy the same cultural space once dominated exclusively by traditional celebrities and runway models. (Vogue)

Tiafoe, for example, emphasized how tailoring and fit help him express personality, explaining that fashion has become a meaningful tool for self-presentation. His comments echo a larger trend: today’s athletes are influencers, style leaders, and brand architects all at once.

Fashion editors have noted that pre-game tunnel walks have effectively turned into mini-runways, especially in the WNBA and NBA, where players regularly go viral for their fits. Designers, meanwhile, are tapping athletes for campaigns and collaborations, acknowledging their growing power in shaping cultural trends.

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Why This Matters

The Winter 2025 Vogue cover marks a powerful moment. Reese and Thomas represent a new generation of athletes who are not limited to one arena — they are rewriting what it means to be a sports star in the modern era. As Vogue points out, the line between athlete and cultural tastemaker has never been thinner. (Vogue)

Their emergence in fashion shows that the possibilities are limitless. They are redefining visibility, expanding representation, and proving that excellence in sports can coexist with — and even amplify — excellence in style.