The Secrets to Dressing Like Your Favorite Athlete, According to the Flyest Stylist in Sports
StyleLondon Wilmot, who dresses NFL and NBA stars like CeeDee Lamb and Rui Hachimura, shares her hacks for building a tunnel-worthy wardrobe.By Alex Nino GheciuFebruary 12, 2025Photographs: Getty Images; Collage: Gabe ConteSave this storySaveSave this storySaveBig games demand big looks, and while his Kansas City Chiefs came up short, Marquise “Hollywood” Brown didn’t fumble the assignment at Sunday night’s Super Bowl. Channeling The Matrix in a sleek Celine leather jacket—unzipped to bare his chest—and matching pants, the wide receiver freed his fit with Prada shades, an Enfants Richés Deprimes belt, Amiri x Maison Mihara Yasuhiro kicks, and an oversized red Louis Vuitton Speedy P9 bag.Behind the blockbuster ensemble? London Wilmot, the athlete stylist quietly curating some of the most showstopping tunnel moments in the NFL and NBA.“Marquise is out there. I mean, his name is Hollywood, so he’s gotta pop,” says Wilmot. “I wanted to create something fun for him. As a wide receiver, he’s got a great physique and he’s on the smaller side, so I put together something really tailored to his body, but with some cool color to make him stand out.”She also styled Brown’s more understated Chiefs teammate Justyn Ross, aiming for “super chill” vibes before the big game against the Philadelphia Eagles with a Rhude top and Sacai trousers.No stranger to the Super Bowl or NBA Finals, she lined up fits for both players throughout their week of media obligations, but kept tweaking things right up until kickoff. “I'm always looking for dope things, even if we've confirmed the looks already. With fashion, things drop all the time, so if we can get something new, I don't mind overnighting it to whatever city we're at.”Wilmot flanked by hoopers Royce O'Neale and Danny Green, the latter of whom helped her break into the styling industry. Asim IsraelThe Houston native’s called some audibles on her own life, too. Before dressing clients like the Dallas Cowboys’ CeeDee Lamb and the Los Angeles Lakers’ Rui Hachimura, she served in the US Army. Intent on following in her family’s engineering footsteps, she took on a role in the military’s petroleum center after college. But thanks to a self-described “passion for fashion” sparked during her teen years as a cashier at a Ralph Lauren store, she swapped blueprints for bold fits.After internships at Complex and Nylon, and working as an assistant on editorial shoots, Wilmot got her big break when NBA guard Danny Green—a friend she made during his stint with the San Antonio Spurs—signed with the Lakers in 2019. Needing help adjusting his wardrobe for “a major fashion city,” he turned to her. "I introduced him to Amiri and skinny jeans, and got him into Isabel Marant, Phillip Lim, Rick Owens—brands he’d never heard of," she says.Next, she connected with De’Aaron Fox, the former Sacramento King now with the Spurs, through a friend. That’s essentially how she’s built her roster: “It’s been super word-of-mouth and organic,” she says. “Players are just looking for someone they can relate to and who understands what their vision is. Being from the military, too, I think I brought over that communication and ability to listen. We help each other out. We talk.”Charles Jeffrey Loverboy hats, big and baggy clothes, Chrome Hearts punk-rock chic, and luxury handbags are among the trends Wilmot sees athletes continuing to embrace. But if there’s one shift she takes credit for sparking, it’s the rise of leather—biker jackets, tailored pants, and statement pieces with a Blade-worthy edge. She’s worked with New York Giants safety Isaiah Simmons to incorporate leather pieces, from Gucci to John Elliott to Loewe, into his wardrobe. “I feel like we put some of the leather fits on first,” she says. “That was one thing that I didn't see any guys rocking at all before. But now everybody wants leather pants.”Longtime Wilmot client (and recent GQ Bowl model!) CeeDee Lamb (right) with Odell Beckham Jr. at the Hermès autumn-winter 2025 show in Paris. Dave Benett/Getty ImagesWilmot doesn’t believe in changing an athlete’s style—she elevates it. She’s worked with the Cowboys’ Lamb since his rookie year, helping refine his fashion eye, including a transformative trip to Pharrell’s Louis Vuitton debut in 2023. “At first, he was like, ‘Eight hours to Paris? No way,’” she says. But after a night of hobnobbing with Beyoncé, Jay-Z, and LeBron at the Cheval Blanc afterparty, his mindset shifted. “Now he’s the one hitting me up like, ‘When’s the next Fashion Week?’”These days, Wilmot says, the biggest hurdles in styling athletes are sizing and tight turnarounds. Players are more knowledgeable than ever about designer brands and streetwear, and their requests are growing by the day. “Some of the stuff they want is pretty difficult to get unless it's super oversized, and it’s typically the same brands, like Balenciaga, that’ll fit,” she says. While length is a constant challenge for hoopers, football players face the ultimate t
Big games demand big looks, and while his Kansas City Chiefs came up short, Marquise “Hollywood” Brown didn’t fumble the assignment at Sunday night’s Super Bowl. Channeling The Matrix in a sleek Celine leather jacket—unzipped to bare his chest—and matching pants, the wide receiver freed his fit with Prada shades, an Enfants Richés Deprimes belt, Amiri x Maison Mihara Yasuhiro kicks, and an oversized red Louis Vuitton Speedy P9 bag.
Behind the blockbuster ensemble? London Wilmot, the athlete stylist quietly curating some of the most showstopping tunnel moments in the NFL and NBA.
“Marquise is out there. I mean, his name is Hollywood, so he’s gotta pop,” says Wilmot. “I wanted to create something fun for him. As a wide receiver, he’s got a great physique and he’s on the smaller side, so I put together something really tailored to his body, but with some cool color to make him stand out.”
She also styled Brown’s more understated Chiefs teammate Justyn Ross, aiming for “super chill” vibes before the big game against the Philadelphia Eagles with a Rhude top and Sacai trousers.
No stranger to the Super Bowl or NBA Finals, she lined up fits for both players throughout their week of media obligations, but kept tweaking things right up until kickoff. “I'm always looking for dope things, even if we've confirmed the looks already. With fashion, things drop all the time, so if we can get something new, I don't mind overnighting it to whatever city we're at.”
The Houston native’s called some audibles on her own life, too. Before dressing clients like the Dallas Cowboys’ CeeDee Lamb and the Los Angeles Lakers’ Rui Hachimura, she served in the US Army. Intent on following in her family’s engineering footsteps, she took on a role in the military’s petroleum center after college. But thanks to a self-described “passion for fashion” sparked during her teen years as a cashier at a Ralph Lauren store, she swapped blueprints for bold fits.
After internships at Complex and Nylon, and working as an assistant on editorial shoots, Wilmot got her big break when NBA guard Danny Green—a friend she made during his stint with the San Antonio Spurs—signed with the Lakers in 2019. Needing help adjusting his wardrobe for “a major fashion city,” he turned to her. "I introduced him to Amiri and skinny jeans, and got him into Isabel Marant, Phillip Lim, Rick Owens—brands he’d never heard of," she says.
Next, she connected with De’Aaron Fox, the former Sacramento King now with the Spurs, through a friend. That’s essentially how she’s built her roster: “It’s been super word-of-mouth and organic,” she says. “Players are just looking for someone they can relate to and who understands what their vision is. Being from the military, too, I think I brought over that communication and ability to listen. We help each other out. We talk.”
Charles Jeffrey Loverboy hats, big and baggy clothes, Chrome Hearts punk-rock chic, and luxury handbags are among the trends Wilmot sees athletes continuing to embrace. But if there’s one shift she takes credit for sparking, it’s the rise of leather—biker jackets, tailored pants, and statement pieces with a Blade-worthy edge. She’s worked with New York Giants safety Isaiah Simmons to incorporate leather pieces, from Gucci to John Elliott to Loewe, into his wardrobe. “I feel like we put some of the leather fits on first,” she says. “That was one thing that I didn't see any guys rocking at all before. But now everybody wants leather pants.”
Wilmot doesn’t believe in changing an athlete’s style—she elevates it. She’s worked with the Cowboys’ Lamb since his rookie year, helping refine his fashion eye, including a transformative trip to Pharrell’s Louis Vuitton debut in 2023. “At first, he was like, ‘Eight hours to Paris? No way,’” she says. But after a night of hobnobbing with Beyoncé, Jay-Z, and LeBron at the Cheval Blanc afterparty, his mindset shifted. “Now he’s the one hitting me up like, ‘When’s the next Fashion Week?’”
These days, Wilmot says, the biggest hurdles in styling athletes are sizing and tight turnarounds. Players are more knowledgeable than ever about designer brands and streetwear, and their requests are growing by the day. “Some of the stuff they want is pretty difficult to get unless it's super oversized, and it’s typically the same brands, like Balenciaga, that’ll fit,” she says. While length is a constant challenge for hoopers, football players face the ultimate test: pants that won’t rip at the glutes. “Even when they have their sizes, it takes forever to get them.”
She often finds it’s quicker to source fabrics herself and create custom pieces from scratch. When mountainous New York Giants nose tackle Dexter Lawrence struggled to find trousers he could squeeze into, she hit up Houston tailor Ayodeji—who’s made custom pieces for Giannis Antetokounmpo and Jayson Tatum—to create bespoke dress pants for his six-foot-four, 340-pound frame. The experience inspired him to launch his own apparel line, Dexxywear, carving out a lane for the larger-than-life set.
Wilmot sees more athletes creating their own brands in the near future. “A lot of them are starting to understand what their marketability is, and they're starting to feel like, ‘Hey, I'm interested in this more than just getting my photograph taken,” she says. Beyond that, she foresees more players tapping into womenswear, from accessories to unisex clothes. “Some of the pieces Stefon Diggs wears are women’s; LV jackets and things like that. If you’re on the smaller side and a wide receiver, it works,” she says. “I also haven't seen this many guys with bags and purses ever. Now players are like, ‘Yo, if it’s unisex, we’ll rock it.’”
She expects flowy, supersized fits to continue having a stranglehold on tunnel fashion, but sees the look spilling out to city sidewalks as it becomes more accessible. “Entire Studios is giving that Balenciaga-on-a-budget. It’s one of the best brands right now when it comes to having that dope oversized style without breaking the bank.”
Other ways you can channel your favorite athlete’s pre-game swagger? “Having some key, minimal pieces that you can develop around is crucial,” Wilmot says. It can be as simple as a solid pair of dark, selvedge denim and some Uniqlo T-shirts. “I always tell my guys Uniqlo has the best basics; they’ve got good materials and can still be very effective.”
From there, it’s all about layering strategically—just like a team, you want to build a foundation and refine it over time, rather than blowing up your wardrobe and doing a full rebuild. “I think forever adding on to your look is always important in fashion. That’s one of the hacks I’ve taught my guys,” she says. “Just because you’re able to clear your closet out and start from scratch, doesn’t mean you need to. It’s a process.”
