Sustainable Fashion and Surfing Intertwine for These Olympic Athletes

“Most people that have tried surfing speak

of it like it’s an instant love affair—you try it, you're challenged by it, you wipe out, you’re struggling, but you need patience. In the end, you walk away from it like, Wow, that was a unique experience. There’s something inside you that is saying go and do it again.” That’s how seven-time world champion and Olympic surfer Stephanie Gilmore explained how she fell in love with surfing. Of course, she’s not the only one. In a hotel in Montauk, New York, overlooking the Long Island Sound, Caroline Marks, the youngest surfer to ever compete in the World Surf League and Championship tour, also conveyed her love for surfing, relishing that “the best feeling ever is like surfing all day.” 

Of course, two of the best surfers in the world would wax poetic about the sport. But the tidal wave of increased infatuation with surfing is not strictly limited to a small subculture—the sport as a whole is having a moment. For the first time ever, surfing is an event in the rescheduled 2020 Olympics. It’s also the first sport to move toward equal pay for all professional competitors without regard to gender, and it’s filled with the most stylish female surfers (aka Roxy girls) on the water. 

If, while watching competitions, you begin to think that waves are the new runways, you wouldn’t be too far off. It’s worth noting that sports have influenced fashion heavily recently—think of the rise of athleisure or Telfar’s unisex uniforms for the Liberian Olympic team—so it’s only a matter of time before surfing apparel becomes fashion’s next big source of inspiration. Fortunately, we won’t have to wait too long: With surfers like Gilmore and Marks collaborating with brands like Roxy to create sustainable swimwear lines (e.g., the Liberty collection), these professional athletes are redefining how surfing and style intertwine.  

Style, of course, is not the only reason to fan over Marks and Gilmore. Whether you’ve watched them both since they won their first tournaments as wildcards or you’re just getting to know them as they make history as the first women to compete in surfing at the Olympics, there’s something to love about both of these phenomenal athletes. Ahead, you’ll hear from both surfers on everything from the environment to their off-duty style to being a part of Roxy’s surfing team to qualifying for the Tokyo Olympics.