Sports and style—a topic I didn’t know I was interested in until now.
Sports Illustrated finally unveiled their third annual Fashionable 50 list, which honors the most stylish athletes. The list appeared in the July 16, 2018, issue of Sports Illustrated, with honorees selected by a panel of stylists, fashion editors and executives, as well as other influencers in the industry.
The panelists included Rachel Johnson, CEO and stylist at the Thomas Faison Agency; Sharon Kanter, deputy style director at People Magazine; Victor Cruz, former NFL player and SI’s 2016 Most Fashionable Athlete; Kesha McLeod, visual architect at KMCME; Sarah Cristobal, executive features director at InStyle Magazine; Brandon Williams, athlete stylist and creative director; and Courtney Mays, menswear stylist and creative director at The Parker Mays Collective.
But enough of all that. By now you’re wondering: Who made the list?
The most fashionable athlete of 2018 is Odell Beckham Jr. This isn’t a surprise to many because he consistently wears daring looks; he even has an iconic hairstyle. And he definitely knows his assets, rocking more streetwear than most—especially shorts—so he’s able to show off his tattoos.
Beckham, Jr. explained to SI that Virgil Abloh’s Off-White collection is a favorite. “There’s something about his work—it’s done but it has an unfinished touch to it,” he says.
Unsurprisingly, there were many, many black athletes on the list. But it’s not just because we’re fashionable; black athletes are really taking a sincere interest in the fashion world—and in many cases, are investing in it. And since we’re always rooting for everybody black, here’s a list of the 33 black athletes who made it into this year’s Fashionable 50, in order of rank:
Odell Beckham Jr.; Lewis Hamilton; Russell Westbrook; Andre Iguodala; Misty Copeland; Lebron James; Ibtihaj Muhammad; Russell Wilson; Cam Newton; Serena Williams; Dwayne Wade; Venus Williams; Malcolm Jenkins; Carmelo Anthony; Miles Chamley-Watson; Marcedes Lewis; Skylar Diggins-Smith; Jimmy Butler; Cappie Pondexter; Tyrod Taylor; P.K. Subban; Kelly Oubre Jr.; James Harden; Kyrie Irving; Chris Paul; PJ Tucker; Nick Young; Ben Simmons; Kyle Kuzma; Deandre Hopkins; Anthony Davis; Jay Ajayi; and Tori Bowie.