The Politics of Fashion: Are Male Athletes Fashion’s Newest “It” Boys?

Well, why don’t you look at this? It looks like some of your favorite male athletes are once again trading in their cleats and Nike warm-ups for Prada loafers and Giorgio Armani suits. The latest rave in the men’s fashion world is not Jorts (much to Kentucky fans’ surprise) nor the UGGs for men that I mentioned a couple weeks ago (thank heavens!), but the reemergence of male athletes as fashion models. Huh? That’s right – they’re back. It happens almost every year, and 2011 is no different. In 2008, we saw Tom Brady and Eli Manning face off as cover boys for Esquire and Men’s Vogue, respectively, but that was nothing in comparison to last year’s fashion spell, which included Kobe Bryant tapping into his inner diva in a L.A. Times Magazine photo shoot, Tiger Woods posing for his infamous Vanity Fair cover, and Terrell Owens strutting his stuff down the runway. But, who will it be in 2011? Who will be the next major sports figure added to the expanding roster of athletes-turned-models?

The newest athlete to get his feet wet in the world of fashion is none other than New York Knicks baller Carmelo Anthony. Following in the footsteps of his fellow teammate, Amar’e Stoudemire (who has been seen with the likes of Rachel Roy and Anna Wintour), Melo is stepping up his fashion game, especially with his recent photo shoot with Mark Seliger for Vogue Italia – a photo shoot that he hopes will contribute to the breaking down of “some barriers” for athletes interested in fashion (The Cut). While Melo may know something that I don’t, it looks to me that athletes are doing pretty darn well in the fashion industry. While I applaud Melo for his attempt to fight for his fellow athletes and their rights (insert sarcasm), it looks like some of those “barriers” have already been broken down as more and more athletes are finding a place in the world of fashion.

With their athletic body build, tall frames, and strong jawlines, it comes to no surprise that athletes are landing four-page spreads in Vogue and GQ and are being asked to endorse lines such as Calvin Klein and Movado. But what do you think about this athletes-crossing-over-into-the-fashion-world movement that has been brewing for quite some time? Should your favorite ballers explore their inner fashionista or should they stick to practicing their crossover on the field? While they may not be hitting a runway near you (except Terrell, of course), expect to see some notable male athletes gracing the covers of some of your favorite fashion magazines during your next grocery store visit. With the NFL lockout and a possible lockout looming for the NBA, I wouldn’t be surprised if more and more athletes started practicing their fashion poses and perfecting the art of “smizing” instead of practicing their jump shots or studying their playbooks. As more and more athletes venture into the world of fashion, they probably will become the newest “it” boys, and if so, I will not complain.