Entertainment

2024 Olympic Athletes Who Are Luxury Brand Ambassadors

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Aug 16, 2024 / 229 Views

Evan Walker

More than just proving grounds for the world’s best athletes to compete for the gold, the 2024 Olympic Games were an incredible showcase of fashionable fits, courtesy of athletes who are also luxury brand ambassadors.

As with any other sporting event that draws eyeballs from around the world, the Olympic Games provide more than just a glimpse of the world’s best athletes at work. While the 2024 Paris Olympics certainly spotlighted the incredible physical prowess, technical proficiency, and sheer raw talent of the Olympic athletes, it was also ground zero for brands and businesses seeking to endear themselves to viewers.

From the get-go of the opening ceremony, viewers were treated to a veritable buffet of exquisite designs from luxury fashion designers, all conveniently modelled on country delegates as they strove to bring home the gold. The result? A stunning showcase of all that’s fashionable and ferocious. Want to know which Olympians are also luxury brand ambassadors? Read on to find out.

The Olympian effect: The enduring appeal of sporting events for brands

As is the way of the world, champions have always been revered as idols across all categories of sport. The world of Formula 1 has Michael Schumacher, Lewis Hamilton, and Max Verstappen; ditto for basketball, which boasts top names like Shaq and Michael Jordan. The NFL has benefited from the star power of Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce (and by extension, Taylor Swift), and Tom Brady, while football has produced indelible stars the likes of David Beckham, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Lionel Messi among others.

One thing remains true across idols and disciplines: Luxury high fashion houses have finally wised up to the great potential of engaging sports personalities and idols as brand ambassadors. Consider tennis legend Roger Federer and his role as a Rolex brand ambassador, and Italian player Jannik Sinner, who is an ambassador for Gucci. Then look towards the world of golf, and you’ll find idols the likes of Bubba Watson and Viktor Hovland, who are ambassadors for Richard Mille and Audemars Piguet, respectively.

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Beyond their widespread appeal to fans when off the sporting arena, these idols can also help to promote a brand and its products, simply by attending sporting events. Case in point: Travis Kelce, fashionable tight end of the Kansas City Chiefs, beloved beau of pop culture princess Taylor Swift, and known collector of high-end sneakers ranging from highly coveted Air Jordan 1s to Nikes, for which he is an ambassador. Like Lewis Hamilton, who is known to rock up to the paddock dressed in ensembles to impress, Kelce’s pre-game outfits are as colourful and eye-catching as his personality — and fans cannot help but take notice.

Leveraging the indelible star power of idols and the pull of high-impact events from the Super Bowl to Wimbledon, and most recently, the 2024 Paris Olympics, luxury brands have now aligned themselves with the world of sport. With Olympic fever now abated until the 2026 Milano Cortina Winter Olympics, the world has nonetheless gained some new idols to admire — both for their sporting prowess and for their style. If you’re on the watch for stylish sporting personalities to follow, here are some Olympic athletes who are also luxury brand ambassadors.

Olympic athletes who are luxury brand ambassadors

Léon Marchand

Nationality: French

Sport: Swimming

Notable endorsements: Louis Vuitton

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Second-time Olympic attendee French swimmer Leon Marchand made waves at the 2024 Paris Olympics, taking home an impressive four gold medals and one bronze. To date, he is only the sixth swimmer in the history of the games to have won four individual gold medals at a single iteration of the games. His excellence is further validated by the Olympic records he holds — the 200 metres butterfly, the 200 metres breaststroke, and the 200 metres individual medley. He also holds the French record in the long course 200 metre individual medley, 200 metre butterfly, and 200 metre breaststroke.

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While his strokes have no doubt won him the gold, the 22-year-old swimmer is also known to exude sophistication outside the water. Last year, he signed on as brand ambassador for French luxury fashion house and 2024 Paris Olympics sponsor Louis Vuitton. Marchand joins numerous other sports personalities who have lent their inspiring presences to the luxury fashion house, making him one of the most attractive Olympic athletes who are also brand ambassadors.

Noah Lyles

Nationality: American

Sport: Track and field

Notable endorsements: Omega

(Image: Omega/Instagram)

27-year-old Noah Lyles sprinted his way to success at the 2024 Paris Olympics, taking home the gold medal for the men’s 100 metres sprint and the bronze medal for the men’s 200 metres event. The track-and-field star started out as a gymnast but changed tack when he was 12 years old. Today, he’s one of the best-known sprinters in the sport, having battled asthma, allergies, dyslexia, ADD, anxiety, and depression to do his country proud. Most notably, the Orlando Florida native is a brand ambassador for Swiss luxury watch brand Omega, the official timekeepers for the Olympics.

Sasha Zhoya

Nationality: French

Sport: Field and track

Notable endorsements: Dior

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Born and raised in Perth, Australia, 22-year-old French athlete Sasha Zhoya made his debut Olympics appearance at the recent 2024 Paris Summer Games. With both French and Zimbabwean roots, the track and field star, whose specialty lies in hurdling events, first began training at the age of 8 and eventually joined the Australian Institute of Sport when he was 14.

Upon deciding that he would compete under the French flag on an international front, he began training at the Clermont Athlétisme Auvergne in 2017. Currently, he holds two records for world under-18 (110 metre and 60 metre hurdles), and two world U20 records (60 metre and 110 metre hurdles). While Zhoya eventually tied in third place with Senegal’s Louis François Mendy for the men’s 110m hurdles at the Olympics, he nonetheless walked away from Olympics season with a major win: An endorsement deal with the house of Dior. Ahead of the Parisian games, the celebrated fashion house had tapped Zhoya to become one of its men’s brand ambassadors, catapulting the sportsman into greater heights of celebrity in the world of haute fashion.

Kauli Vaast

Nationality: French-Polynesian

Sport: Surfing

Notable endorsements: Dior

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French-Polynesian professional surfer Kauli Vaast found success with an Olympic gold medal at the 2024 Paris Summer Games. Born in the town of Vairao on the island of Tahiti, the 22-year-old’s journey to the Olympic gold began when he first rode on a surfboard with his father aged four. Two years later, he was surfing on his own. By the time he was eight, he had started training to surf competitively.

Since then, Vaast has earned accolades that include being three-time WSL European Junior Champion in 2017, 2019, and 2020, a bronze medal at the 2024 ISA World Surfing Games, and his gold win for the men’s shortboard event at the 2024 Olympic Games. Vaast counts himself among several Olympic athletes who have been appointed as one of luxury fashion house Dior’s brand ambassadors.

Rossella Fiamingo

Nationality: Italian

Sport: Fencing

Notable endorsements: Dior, Nike

Italian fencer Rossella Fiamingo is one of many Olympic athletes who are luxury brand ambassadors, having recently signed on for Dior. (Image: Dior)

With three Olympic events under belt, Italian fencer Rosella Fiamingo has carved out a name for herself in the sport. As a two-time individual world champion, Fiamingo, 33, once took ballet and rhythmic gymnastics as a child. Today, she engages in left-handed épée fencing for which she began training at the tender age of seven. Participating in the 2016, 2021, and 2024 Olympic games, Fiamingo has emerged victorious each time, winning a silver medal in 2016, a bronze in 2021, and the prized Olympic gold in Paris for the Team Women’s Épée event. Interestingly, Fiamingo is engaged to Olympic gold medal swimmer Gregorio Paltrinieri, and the duo were tapped to be the Italian flagbearers for the Paris 2024 closing ceremony. As of this year, Fiamingo is among many Olympic athletes who have become brand ambassadors for luxury fashion house Dior.

Clarisse Agbégnénou

Nationality: French

Sport: Judo

Notable endorsements: Dior

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At 31 years of age, French judoka Clarisse Bogdanna Agbegnenou has had an incredible run in her three years of Olympic participation. While she has also earned medals at previous Olympic games — a silver medal at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro games and two gold medals at the 2020 Tokyo games — she did not leave the 2024 Paris Games empty handed. Winning gold for the mixed team judo event, Agbegnenou also took home the Olympic bronze medal for the Women’s 63kg category in judo. Prior to the Parisian Summer Games, Agbegnenou was named an ambassador for Dior.

Victor Wembanyama

Nationality: French

Sport: Basketball

Notable endorsements: Nike, Louis Vuitton

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Standing tall at a height of 7 ft and 4 inches, French basketball player Victor “Wemby” Wembanyama is currently tied with Boban Marjanović and Zach Edey as the tallest active NBA player. Within the NBA, Wembanyama currently plays for the San Antonio Spurs, being selected first overall in the 2023 NBA draft. Despite his tender years, the 20-year-old has already garnered numerous accolades, being named NBA Rookie of the year and Olympics Rising Star in 2024.

At the recent Paris Olympic games, Wembanyama played basketball under the French banner, earning a silver medal for his efforts. Boasting a staggering 2 million Instagram followers, Wembanyama has become one of the top go-to-sports stars for brands seeking ambassadors. To date, Wembanyama has secured endorsement deals with Louis Vuitton as well as Nike, the latter of which has had a long history with NBA stars.

Caeleb Dressel

Nationality: American

Sport: Swimming

Notable endorsements: Omega, Toyota, Speedo

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Three-time Olympic attendee and multiple gold medal winner Caeleb Dressel is one of the best-known swimmers to watch right now. Representing the United States, the 27-year-old Green Cove Springs Florida native won his first Olympic gold medal at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Summer Games when he swam a 4 x 100 metre freestyle relay with team mates Michael Phelps, Ryan Held, and Nathan Adrian. That same year, he took home a second gold medal in the 4 x 100 metre medley relay.

At the 2020 Tokyo Summer Games, Dressel once again made a splash as one of two selected male swimming captains from the USA. He won five gold medals in that Olympic Games, setting a record as the (then) fifth swimmer to have achieved the feat. Notably, he won gold medals for the 4 x 100 metre freestyle, 100 metre freestyle, 100 metre butterfly, 50 metre freestyle, and 4 x 100 metre medley events.

Dressel continued his winning streak at the 2024 Paris Olympics, taking home the gold medals for the men’s 4 x 100 metre freestyle relay and the mixed 4 x 100 metre medley relay. He also won a silver medal for the men’s 4 x 100 metre medlay relay, cementing his place in Olympic history. With his impressive list of accolades, it makes sense that Dressel is regarded as something like royalty within the realm of endorsement deals. Currently, he is signed as a brand ambassador to Omega, as well as Toyota and Speedo.

Neeraj Chopra

Nationality: Indian

Sport: Track and field – Javelin throw

Notable endorsements: Omega, Under Armour, Tommy Hilfiger

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Indian athlete Neeraj Chopra’s Olympic journey has been one of many firsts. A track and field star, Chopra is the first Asian athlete to win a gold medal for the javelin throw event; he is also the first Indian Olympic gold medalist, the youngest Indian Olympic gold medalist in an individual event, and the only Indian individual to have won an Olympic gold on his debut Games. While Chopra is now regarded as a national hero, his beginnings were humble; he received initial schooling at Panipat’s BVN Public School, and got into athletics after locals teased him about his obesity. While training at a Panipat gym, Chopra was inspired by javelin throwers who practiced at the nearby Shivaji stadium, an event that has since inspired him to take up the sport, sparking the Olympics run of a lifetime.

Chopra also has military training, joining the Indian Army in 2016 and later undergoing Mission Olympics Wing training at the Army Spots Institute in Pune. Today, he holds the rank of Subedar Major. Chopra’s talent with javelin throwing has earned him numerous accolades, including a gold medal at the 2023 Budapest World Championships, a gold medal at the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games, and a gold medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games. He received a silver medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics, further spotlighting his skill with the spear. Off the track, Chopra has earned a reputation as one of the top Indian athletes to engage for brand endorsements. He signed on as a brand ambassador for Omega, the first track and field athlete from India to represent the Swiss luxury watchmaker. Additionally, he is also brand ambassador for Under Armour and Tommy Hilfiger.

Armand Duplantis

Nationality: Swedish-American

Sport: Pole vaulting

Notable endorsements: Puma, Red Bull, Omega

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Widely regarded as the Timothee Chalamet of pole vaulting, 24-year-old Swedish-American pole vaulter Armand Duplantis has vaulted his way into the internet’s hearts following a spectacular Olympics performance this past month. And while his striking good looks are certainly eye-catching, his talent for vaulting has also garnered much attention on social media — and it runs in the family. Duplantis’ father, Greg Duplantis, is a former pole vaulter whilst his Swedish mother Helena Hedlund is a former heptathlete and volleyball player. At a mere 3 years of age, Duplantis began pole vaulting at his family’s Lafayette, Louisiana home, setting his first age group world best when he was just 7 years old.

Duplantis won the Olympic gold for pole vault at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics when he cleared a height of 6.02 metres on his first effort. Most recently, he took home another Olympic gold at the 2024 Olympic games, winning with a 6.0 metre jump. On his second try, Duplantis cleared 6.10 metres, setting a new world record; 20 minutes later, he would break his own record and create a new one by clearing 6.25 metres on his third jump. As one of the fan favourite athletes to have emerged from the 2024 Olympic games, Duplantis notably endorses Puma, Omega, and Red Bull.

Sha’Carri Richardson

Nationality: American

Sport: Track and field

Notable endorsements: Nike, Beats, Apple Music

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A Dallas, Texas native, American track and field star Sha’Carri Richardson made her Olympic debut at the 2024 Paris Summer Games, securing a gold medal for the 4 x 100 metre relay event and a silver medal for the 100 metre event. The 24-year-old athlete’s career has been one of many highs and lows. At 19, she broke the 100 metre collegiate record at the NCAA Division I Championships by running a 10.75 second sprint, making her one of the 10 fastest women. However, despite qualifying to participate in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, Richardson was unable to comPete as she had tested positive for cannabis use following her 100 metre final at the United States Trials.

Competing at the USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships in 2023, she became the US National champion in the women’s 100 metres with a time of 10.82 seconds. Her comeback to the 2024 Paris Olympics is certainly one for the books, highlighting the importance of grit and enduring determination for success. In the realm of brand endorsements, she has reportedly secured a USD 20 million deal with Nike.

Alica Schmidt

Nationality: German

Sport: Running

Notable endorsements: Puma, Hugo Boss

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While 25-year-old Alica Schmidt of Germany did not leave the 2024 Paris Olympics with a medal, she has nonetheless left an indelible mark on the world of Sports. Known amongst Olympics watchers as the ‘hottest athlete in the world’, the runner has nonetheless made waves with her track performance, serving as part of the national team that took second place at the 4 x 400 metres relay event at the 2017 European Athletes U20 Championships. Schmidt was a part of the German relay squad at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics; however, she did not comPete.

At the 2024 Paris Olympics, the fast fraulein competed in the 4 x 400 mixed relay event and the 4 x 400 women’s relay event. While both teams failed to qualify for the finals, they nonetheless clocked respectable times of 3:26.95 for the women’s relay, and 3:15.63 for the mixed relay. Schmidt has expressed that she does not wish to compromise her personal values and focus, and has been vocal about turning down lucrative endorsement deals in the past. Currently, she is brand ambassador for Puma and Hugo Boss.