The explosion of celebrity in sport ever since George Best advertised aftershave and sausages in the Swinging Sixties means the most talented and successful stars of today are fashion trendsetters for millions of fans, whether they like it or not.
Whatever they wear will be scrutinised and copied (just take David Beckham and his mohican, while one kid even got a Sven-Goran Eriksson hairdo ahead of the 2002 World Cup). Some pieces they don, no matter how flash and outrageous, can become instant hits, selling out in seconds. Here we look at how some of the top sport stars have led the style stakes in 2020…
Lewis Hamilton
The Formula One star’s look just oozes swagger and confidence, and who can blame him after he matched Michael Schumacher’s title haul this year with his seventh championship triumph. Bold and sometimes even brash, Hamilton’s outfits are instantly eye-catching and he doesn’t care whether his fashion choices are rated or hated.
Experimenting with different styles and looks, Hamilton has tried tie dye, floral prints, crisp white suits and even fur-trimmed boots.
Attending Milan Fashion Week back in 2017, he arrived in hues of green ready for spring and his flowing coat hung like a cape. An ‘out-there’ look for the regular man on the street, we are certain it will have gone down a storm with fellow followers of fashion.
Tyson Fury
The heavyweight champion loves to stand out from the crowd and enjoys dressing up to ensure all eyes are on him as he bids for world domination in his sport.
From a bespoke suit featuring the Mount Rushmore of boxing to Apollo Creed inspired get-up, he always gets tongues wagging before a punch is even landed.
Back in January, Fury’s tailor Nav Salimian told The Sportsman, “I look at our garments and see them to provide him with two to five per cent more confidence. There may have been a time when he didn’t feel confident within himself because of the nature of his mental health battles. Now, he’s the best he’s ever looked and the garments give him more confidence going into the fight.”
Cristiano Ronaldo
With a total of 450 million followers across his social media accounts, Ronaldo is the world’s most followed athlete and every single accessory he decides to wear, let alone the main outfit itself, is going to be noticed and replicated. From teenagers who idolise him for his football skills, to the adults who want to copy his sense of style, the Poruguese is adored and seen as a true fashion symbol.
Showing off his impressive biceps at every opportunity, he’s often got his shirt off after scoring. But it’s jewellery where CR7 really pushes the boat out, rather than clothes. In December last year he was pictured weaning the world’s most expensive Rolex - worth a staggering £380,000 - an 18-carat white gold timepiece covered with 30 diamonds. He also owns an extremely rare Franck Muller watch, valued at £1.2m. If you’ve got it, flaunt it, as they say.
Floyd Mayweather
Similarly to Ronaldo, Mayweather is a King of Bling and showed off a collection of 41 timepieces last year. ‘The Billionaire Watch’ features 239 individual emerald-cut diamond stones, which each weigh up to three carats.
"When I go on pay-cation for 30 days, I take 30 watches with me,” he revealed. “But, you know what, if we add 10 more days, I take 10 more watches, But then, I say 'F*ck it. If I wanna bring out the one and only, then I'll take out the watch that costs $18m (£13m).’”
Also, Floyd enjoys being comfortable and often rocks out in a hoodie. Astonishingly the Broken Glass mirrored hoodie he wore as he witnessed Gervonta Davis win the lightweight crown in Atlanta cost a staggering £13,400. There is a good reason he’s known as the Money Man.
Conor McGregor
Another sports star who is as confident as he is talented, the UFC legend can wear what he likes and won’t waste a second worrying what people think of him.
Take Aintree in 2017, for example, when McGregor turned up at the Grand National but didn’t bother to stick to the dress code. While locals and visitors alike dress up in their finery, the Irishman turned up in a wipe-open shirt and flip-up sunglasses. While organisers won’t have been impressed, he still looked the business somehow. It’s not always about what you wear but rather how you wear it and McGregor wears it well.
