Louis Vuitton rarely chooses a predictable new face. This time, the brand looked to the world of ice skating. Alysa Liu, the Olympic gold medalist celebrated for both her personality and her talent, is now the brand’s newest ambassador.
The announcement comes after she attended the brand’s fall 2026 show at Paris Fashion Week, this time as part of the audience instead of performing on the ice. The move felt natural. Liu has always defied easy categorization, which is part of her appeal to the brand.
Nicolas Ghesquière, who heads women’s collections at Vuitton, sees Liu as a symbol of what’s current. He called her confident, creative, and fearless. For him, it’s not only about her athletic achievements, but also her presence, individuality, and natural ability to stand out.
At only 20 years old, Liu has achieved what many athletes spend decades working toward. At the 2026 Winter Olympics, she became the first American woman since Sarah Hughes in 2002 to win individual gold in figure skating. She also earned a team gold medal. Earlier in her career, she made history as the first woman to land both a triple axel and a quadruple jump in one program.
What sets her story apart is the way it developed. Liu left competitive skating at 16, then returned two years later with a new outlook. Since her comeback, she has embraced a style that is uniquely hers, from her signature “halo” hair to the costumes she often designs herself. This sense of control over her image matches well with a fashion house that values strong identities.
Liu’s connection to fashion goes back a while. She has worked with Nike and appeared in Sephora campaigns, both part of the larger LVMH group, along with Louis Vuitton. Still, this new role feels more personal to her. She says being recognized by a house like Vuitton is an honor and shows that athletes can move beyond sports into creative fields.
Liu joins a growing list of athletes connected to the brand, such as Carlos Alcaraz, Victor Wembanyama, Yuto Horigome, and Wang Chuqin. This lineup shows the direction luxury fashion is taking. Today, performance, personality, and cultural relevance are just as important as tradition.
For Liu, this moment isn’t about leaving skating behind. It’s about broadening her career. She remains the same athlete who made an impact on her sport, but now she’s making her mark in a new field.