Chinese athlete Wu Dajing Photo: Weibo account of Ellemen

Chinese women's soccer team players attend an event in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province on March 3, 2022. Photo: VCG

People walk past a billboard featuring Team China's Gu Ailing in Sanlitun, Beijing on March 15, 2022. Photo: VCG

In a new trend hailed by Chinese netizens, an increasing number of sports celebrities are appearing on the covers of Chinese fashion magazines. 

Although the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics have bid farewell to the world, Chinese netizens are still reluctant to say goodbye to the grand sports party. Fortunately, the athletes that competed for gold can now easily be found through other channels, such as gracing the cover of multiple fashion magazines.

Recently, short track speed skater Wu Dajing appeared on the cover of the Chinese edition of French fashion magazine Ellemen's summer edition, stunning netizens with his fashion sense.

In one of the pictures, Wu can be seen wearing a pair of sunglasses and a black suit with skates that represent his identity as a world famous skater. The image, a combination of sports and fashion, received numerous likes from Chinese netizens.

"The cover character should not only be famous but also highly liked by the public. This is why many sports stars are popular. They do not give readers a feeling of vanity, luxury or superiority. It is a kind of traditional impression, we like their simplicity. Mix in a fashion magazine and that creates posh vibes, like a female runner wearing Cartier. It makes us think she is worth more than those celebrities who wear it every day," Zhang Duo, a planning expert in the advertising industry, told the Global Times.

Athletic beauty

Wu is not alone when it comes to athletes dipping their toe in the fashion pool. Skier Gu Ailing and snowboarder Su Yiming, both of whom bagged gold medals at Beijing 2022, have also become favorites in the fashion industry.

Three Chinese soccer players also made the cover of the magazine Wonderland on March 8. The three female athletes represent the three generations of Chinese women's soccer team from the 1980s to the 2000s.

"This time, they gathered together for a fashion magazine cover shoot. Although they were not wearing their competition uniforms, they were still able to maintain the beauty of speed and power with confidence and a big smile to show their elegance," a Sina Weibo fashion blogger commented.

The clothes worn by the three soccer players attracted the attention of netizens, many of whom asked for a link to purchase the outfits for themselves. 

In a departure from the norm, fashion industry insiders are more willing than ever to invite sports stars to appear in beauty magazines.

"In the traditional view, female clothing designers prefer those bony and hanger-like models. But this has changed. The most current fashion designs, especially for women, show an appreciation for natural beauty and flaws, so they hire athletically built models to relay the underlining meaning that women's beauty comes from what they are capable of doing. This is what sports star can show," Su Xiaohan, a female clothing designer, told the Global Times.

Su noted that sports stars have perfect physiques and are natural models compared to many celebrities, especially when it comes to photo shoots.

The trend of pursuing athletic beauty is being promoted by the fashion industry, popular sports stars and the public. 

"Sports stars that have celebrity status, like Gu Ailing, are going to be the fashion industry's new choice," Zhang remarked.

Recognition of the public

Ordinary Chinese people are also following this new trend in their own way by paying more attention to their physical fitness and mental health.

The trend can be seen in the youthful spirit in many Chinese universities. 

Yu Xi, a 20-year-old student at Beijing's Renming University, told the Global Times on Thursday that her spirits have been lifted since she joined the school's basketball association, and she has become fitter, healthier and more confident.

Wang Ke, an aerobics teacher at the Tianjin University of Sports and winner of five titles at international aerobics events, told the Global Times that sports like aerobics help her stay sunny and energetic. 

"Our projects also fully reflect beautiful lines, postures, smiles and movements, which play a positive role in guiding young students in their pursuit of beauty," he said. 

Wang added that sports celebrities on the covers of fashion magazines can be a good opportunity to popularize sports among the public and can encourage more teens across the country to exercise more and improve their overall health.

Jia Wangwei, vice president of the India-China Yoga College in Southwest China's Yunnan Province, said that since the outbreak of the COVID-19 epidemic, people have been paying more attention to their health and so the beauty of health has been trending in the public conciousness.

Jia mentioned that an increasing number of Chinese have taken up yoga, leading to a sharp increase in the number of classes.