Aryna Sabalenka Stuns in Runway Debut at Vogue World 2026

On Tuesday, September 22nd, Vogue hosted its fifth annual celebration of fashion at the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II in Milan, Italy. The biggest fashion houses in the industry made custom memory-inspired looks for the runway, and there were quite a few stars from the sports world who made a splash on the runway.

Sabalenka’s Runway Debut

WTA No.2 Aryna Sabalenka made her runway debut at the prestigious Vogue event. She wore a custom-tailored turtleneck gown from Gucci’s 2026 pre-fall collection. The outfit was chocolate brown and covered in a shimmery material that made the tennis player glitter as she strutted alongside other famous athletes.

Sabalenka’s runway debut was part of the “Made in Italy” event that occurred during Act III of the long Milan event. The tailored dress also played into Vogue World 2026’s core themes about the human touch in the age of technology and the appreciation of traditional artisan craft amidst the rise of artificial intelligence and automation.

Aryna’s Gucci Ambassadorship

Sabalenka’s stunning gown was also naturally part of her new global ambassadorship with Gucci. She officially signed with the brand in January of 2026, and this is just the latest sponsored look. The Belarusian athlete was also seen in an impressive tiger-print Gucci outfit for a player’s party earlier this year before the Miami Open.

On the Run-Through podcast this August, Sabalenka spoke highly of the new partnership and placed particular emphasis on how she adores Demna, Gucci’s latest creative director, saying, “I love Demna. I always really loved his work, and it’s amazing what he does. The moment when he entered the Gucci family, I was like, oh my God, this is the time. It’s amazing.”

Sabalenka’s US Open Kits

Sabalenka’s runway comes fresh off of her many bold looks at the 2026 US Open. Each kit was a custom dress made as part of her Nike sponsorship. For every match of the tournament (and one early exhibition event), the neutral athlete wore controversial, basketball-inspired tennis outfits with mesh overlays.

When Sabalenka was asked about the online backlash to her outfits, she said, "I love basically everything about my outfit. I love that it's different. I love that this outfit is bold. Whatever people [are] saying on [the] Internet, I heard they probably didn't like it … it's funny for me." With that reaction, it is not surprising that she chose another stunning but bold look for her first runway.

Other Athletes at Vogue World 2026

Sabalenka was one of many athletes having a moment at the Milan fashion event. Naomi Osaka wore a dramatic all-black look from Roberto Cavalli, and Lorenzo Musetti wore a contrasting black-and-white suit from Bottega Veneta while leading musician Jennifer Lopez across the stage.

Beyond Sabalenka’s fellow tennis players, a cavalcade of Italian Olympic athletes joined the runway. Short track speed skater Arianna Fontana, pole vaulter Gianni Stechhi, multi-sport athlete Veronica Yoko Plebani, and volleyball players Myriam Sylla and Paola Egonu were also spotted in bright outfits from the featured fashion houses.

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