Why WAGs Are Making a Fashion Comeback

At this Sunday’s Tremendous Bowl, the night’s largest stars arguably received’t be on the sector, however within the stands.

Whereas Taylor Swift — by some measures probably the most well-known particular person on the planet in addition to girlfriend to Kansas Metropolis Chiefs tight finish Travis Kelce — is the obvious instance, she’s hardly alone. Brittany Mahomes, spouse of Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, has racked up almost 2 million followers on Instagram; former Miss Universe Olivia Culpo is engaged to 49ers operating again Christian McCaffrey and Allison Kucharczyk, the spouse of defensive finish Isaac Rochell, is a TikTok star with over 3 million followers.

That’s simply American soccer WAGs — an acronym for wives and girlfriends, normally referring to the companions {of professional} athletes — whose different halves are enjoying within the Tremendous Bowl. Different notable WAGs embrace Olympic gold medal-winning gymnast Simone Biles, whose husband Jonathan Owens is on the Inexperienced Bay Packers and TikTok mega influencer Alix Earle is relationship Dolphins receiver Braxton Berrios.

The phenomenon extends past soccer: Tennis, specifically, has seen a WAG-aissance in recent times, with ladies like Morgan Riddle (girlfriend of top-ranked American male Taylor Fritz), Ayan Broomfield (girlfriend of Francis Tiafoe and a former collegiate tennis participant herself) and Paige Lorenze (girlfriend of American tennis participant Tommy Paul) are all content material creators with a whole lot of 1000’s of followers throughout platforms. There, they provide followers a behind-the-scenes take a look at the continuous skilled tennis tour, which takes them in every single place from Melbourne to Wimbledon, and naturally, share loads of particulars on their match day ensembles.

WAGs have lengthy been a cultural power, however up to now, their public picture has principally been out of their arms, the product of pictures within the stands and tabloid chatter. However at the moment, many double as influencers, capitalising on curiosity in pulling again the curtain on what it actually means to be a WAG.

“[These women] have been as soon as put right into a field because the companions of athletes, however they’ve damaged out and are capable of join with the frequent fan and client, which wasn’t attainable previous to the influencer age,” stated Emily Brown, senior supervisor of technique at influencer advertising and marketing company Billion Greenback Boy.

The worlds of sport and vogue have change into more and more linked — take a look at Hugo Boss’s NFL partnership and LVMH’s Olympics coming sponsorship. And this technology of WAGs, with a public profile and accomplishments that go far past their romantic relationships, have emerged as a connective tissue between the 2 industries. In showcasing the approach to life components of sports activities to a brand new audiences, these ladies are making video games and matches as a lot a vogue occasion as they’re a sporting one — and boosting curiosity within the sports activities they’re related to. And with that, they’re attracting main model partnerships, from the likes of Prada, Ralph Lauren and Uniqlo.

“The [tennis] Grand Slams now are like a vogue present,” stated Broomfield. “It’s clicked for manufacturers that if they’ll’t shut costume the gamers on courtroom, they’ll costume the women within the field.”

The Fabulous Lifetime of WAGs

The WAG fascination goes again a long time. The aughts have been a excessive level for the phenomenon with the celebrity pop singer and athlete pairing of David and Victoria Beckham. Girls like Ayesha Curry, spouse of Golden State Warrior Stephen Curry, charted a playbook for turning WAG standing right into a profession, and WAGs like Savannah James, spouse of NBA icon LeBron James, sits entrance row at Paris Couture Week. And in 2019, the UK’s Wagatha Christie scandal — a story of gossip and WAG in-fighting between Rebekah Vardy and Coleen Rooney, the wives of two UK footballers — gripped the general public, ultimately resulting in a libel case in 2022.

The general public obsession may be linked to a number of elements — the connection to skilled sports activities, a seemingly-glamorous life-style, the “energy couple” issue and extra.

“To ensure that one thing to go viral, it needs to be controversial, enviable, or relatable. Should you can hit all three, that’s the kind of video that you simply get hundreds of thousands of views on,” stated Riddle. “Being a WAG encompasses all of these issues.”

They’re aspirational, however social media makes them approachable, stated Mae Karwowski, the founder and CEO of influencer advertising and marketing company Clearly. They make movies discussing the difficulties of life on the street and share their skincare routines. They discuss their relationship, and supporting their associate via wins and losses.

Social media has additionally supplied a path to a profitable — and maybe most significantly, versatile — profession when in earlier years, the logistical realities of being a WAG could have minimize off these alternatives. Dwelling with a schedule dictated by knowledgeable sports activities organisation, with frequent journey and uncertainty round what metropolis you’ll be in from week to week (or the place you can also make your private home base), makes holding down a standard job troublesome. Riddle, for instance, spent her first yr accompanying Fritz on the tennis tour working a 9-to-5 job remotely — coping with always altering time zones led her to taking work calls in the midst of the night time or lacking vital matches for conferences.

“We sit within the field and generally it pans to us, however that’s not the way you create a enterprise out of this,” stated Lorenze. “There’s a distinction between being identified after which making it right into a enterprise.”

Creating content material is a seamless match for a WAG, notably now that manufacturers are taking discover of their energy. Broomfield stated that previously two years, extra manufacturers have began dressing tennis WAGs for matches, notably grand slams — some, she stated, are even paid by the manufacturers to put on their wares. Mahomes starred in a Skims vacation marketing campaign, and Riddle is attending the Tremendous Bowl this weekend as a visitor of Louis Vuitton.

“It’s actually priceless while you may be within the popular culture zeitgeist, as a result of individuals come and discover your small business organically,” stated Jasmine Okougbo, supervisor of selling, product and partnerships at Hidden Crown Hair Extensions, who did Mahomes’ hair for the Tremendous Bowl in 2023 and can once more this yr.

Altering the Face of Sports activities

Protection of WAGs has at all times been tinged with misogyny, and even amid the present resurgence, that’s nonetheless the case. Simply take a look at the variety of offended NFL followers on social media who fume each time Swift flashes on the display screen.

However the reality of the matter is that WAGs are bringing a brand new viewers to the sports activities they’re related to. The NFL has seen its highest ranges of feminine viewership because it began monitoring information, in response to NBC Sports activities, with a 53 % spike in teenage feminine viewers. Girls specifically are a demographic that the NFL is attempting to succeed in, stated Xaimara Coss, the NFL’s director, client merchandise and retail advertising and marketing.

“I’ve had so many ladies come as much as me at tournaments saying ‘I’d by no means be right here if I didn’t watch your movies,’ or ‘I’m dressing up for Australian Open this yr, your content material made me wish to costume up for it,’” Riddle stated.

The leagues themselves are beginning to recognise their energy. Kristin Juszczyk, a clothes designer who’s married to 49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk, just lately nabbed a licensing cope with NFL Trend — her jersey puffer jackets went viral after Swift and Mahomes wore them to a Chief recreation towards the Cincinnati Bengals on Christmas Day.

Final summer time, Wimbledon tapped Riddle to host an online sequence referred to as “Wimbledon Threads” that spotlighted attendee vogue. Lorenze stated she’s planning to work with plenty of the tournaments this yr in an official capability.

“These ladies are highly effective,” stated Kyle Smith, NFL Trend content material strategist. “It might be unhealthy enterprise for us to not have interaction with that and leverage them to increase our attain.”