The Olympic rings are among the world’s most recognized symbols. Brands invest millions to be associated with the event’s values and global visibility. At the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics, legacy sponsors like Coca-Cola and Visa leveraged this platform to reinforce their brand stature. But a new gold medal contender has stepped onto the podium: luxury fashion. As Yuki Bi, CEO of Helios Worldwide, notes, “The ‘fashion as sport’ trend has been strong since the Paris Summer Olympics, and it is here to stay, at least for a while.”
What’s the latest shiny influencer strategy for fashion brands? And the answer is: Olympic champions.
Sportainment
The emotional pull of Brazilian skier Lucas Pinheiro Braathen winning South America’s first-ever Winter Olympics medal cannot be measured in social media metrics. It also helps explain why the Opening Ceremony, which featured not just Mariah Carey but also a runway show of white EA7 Emporio Armani and Ralph Lauren Americana-themed-uniforms, broke viewership records.
“It’s not new for brands to sponsor or design national team uniforms for major games,” says Bi, “but how it is being promoted, and the amount of attention they are garnering this Winter Olympics, is unprecedented.” This attention is driving demand for Olympic-themed merchandise. Polo Ralph Lauren’s Team USA Opening Ceremony Toggle Coat ($1,998) is already sold out in all sizes on the Ralph Lauren U.S. site. However, a key impact is the potential for brand earned media revenue (EMV), which can rival other sponsorship deals. According to data from Launchmetrics, Ralph Lauren had already generated $8.3 million in Media Impact Value (MIV) before the Winter Olympics even started!
This merging of sport and entertainment, or ‘sportainment,’ is a now-familiar formula across global events like Formula One. At the Winter Olympics, it is redefining engagement entirely. Clips of Snoop Dogg, Honorary Coach of Team USA, dominate feeds because sport has become storytelling for a new generation. According to Bi, “The popularity of the Olympic Games among Gen Z audiences stems from the vlog-like snippets of content across social media, especially TikTok and YouTube Shorts. In fact, most Gen Z audiences are watching the Winter Olympics via 15–30-second social media shorts.”
Fandom
Athletes have always been role models. Veteran skier Lindsay Vonn has been a Rolex Brand Ambassador since 2009. But recently, luxury fashion houses have been joining the race to sign the next sporting icon. At Beijing 2022, 18-year-old freestyle skier Eileen Gu’s gold medal tally led to a high-profile partnership with Louis Vuitton. The Winter Games have amplified celebrity endorsements into an entirely new form of influence. A game-changer is how fandom is creating a direct channel for brand storytelling at an unprecedented scale. Jutta Leerdam, who is an Omega Olympic ambassador, has over 6.2 million Instagram followers. Authentic content is driving engagement. Canadian speed skater Brooklyn McDougall’s unboxing her Lululemon gear went viral on TikTok.
High Performances
Luxury fashion partnering with sport isn’t new, but the Winter Olympics gives brands a stylistic signature and mass reach. Armani outfitting Team Italia makes cultural sense, but the Games also offer a platform for function-first brands such as Lululemon with Team Canada and Uniqlo with Team Sweden to elevate their fashion credibility.
“Fashion brands are realizing that their audiences and sports fans are no longer mutually exclusive,” Bi says. “In fact, Gen Z finds sports a very cool topic that adds social credibility to their lives. So, when brands invest in the Winter Olympic Games, they are also acquiring a brand new, aspirational young audience that they can grow in the future.”
The Winter Games are a live product demo under some of the most extreme conditions imaginable. When Lucas Pinheiro Braathen won gold wearing a white Moncler race suit, it was a victory for Moncler’s technical innovation. The brand extends the message with Moncler Grenoble’s “The Beyond Performance” exhibit in Milan. As Bi notes, “Younger audiences are learning from this year’s Milan Winter Olympics that competition gear can be fashionable and attractive while maintaining functionality.”
Brands are also replicating the Olympic experience in their retail environments, from the snow-white Armani jackets at Milano Linate Airport to experiential formats such as Ralph Lauren’s Olympic-themed pop-ups stretching from Cortina d’Ampezzo to Aspen.
Inclusivity
As the Winter Paralympics approach, inclusivity is emerging as a defining narrative. This is less about logo-first branding and more about meaningful design. Brands like Lululemon have introduced “Paralympian-approved” adaptive gear with magnetic zippers, seated-fit silhouettes, and braille details. It’s a powerful message that fashion and sport have no boundaries.
The Winter Olympics in a fashion capital is more than a natural convergence of sport and style. The Games have become a global podium for luxury brands. The result is a boost in brand prestige and reputation. Brand Finance reports that luxury apparel buyers who followed the Paris Olympics rated Louis Vuitton more highly for ‘reputation, social commitment, brand I love, trust, and recommendation.’
It’s a return on investment that can translate into long-term revenue growth. The 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles will be even more of a spectacle and will put pressure on luxury brands to up their game. Which brands are ready to go for the gold?
