THE ICE KING | JACK HUGHES

What does it mean to be part of a dynasty and how does it begin? This month’s cover is riding a major moment that although he struck the Golden Goal, when asked about it, he will always reflect on the fact that the win is a culmination of a team win and one that could only take place with the combined efforts of them working together to break the dry spell since Team USA Hockey back in 1980 while pushing the sport as a whole further here in the US as both the Men’s and Women’s team swept Gold! We sat down last month with Jack Hughes and interviewed him days ahead of him heading to Milano Cortina for our JAN ISSUE #121 where we talked about his passion and love for Hockey, how he trains for the sport, his Olympic debut and how he prepares for game day. It was clear from our interview with him last month that he is someone that we will continue to talk about for years to come.

As we all watched copious hours of Olympics coverage, Hockey was always top of mind for us to watch at Athleisure Media. For him to debut in the Olympics and to play alongside his brother Quinn was amazing. We know that the Hughes brothers are dynamic as a trio as they all play in the NHL and Jack plays for the NJ Devils alongside his brother Luke! If we look at the concept of team, as Jack always says when talking about the success, we have to look at a major team element – his family.

This family affair doesn’t stop there as his mom, Ellen Weinberg-Hughes is a former ice hockey player who competed internationally for the US Women’s National Team at the ’92 Women’s World Championship, where she obtained Silver while being named to the tournament’s All-Star Team. When she stopped playing professionally, she was an advisor to Norway’s Women’s Hockey Team in ’94, she has reported on Women’s Hockey at various Winter Olympics, as well as for ESPN and she was has been a consultant most recently at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina where the US Women’s team took home Gold. Although she never had the chance to play in the Olympics, as Women’s Hockey was introduced in 1998 for the first time, the US Women’s Hockey team has medalled at every single Winter Games since it debuted! His father, Jim Hughes is a former Hockey player who worked at Toronto Marlies and Toronto Maple Leafs. His family and love for this sport is such a life line to Jack and how he looks at the sport!

Jack Hughes is this month’s cover for our FEB ISSUE #122 and as the Golden Goal took place, we were thrilled to know that we would be seeing him at the first home opener post the Olympic win! We made our way to the Prudential Center in Newark, home of the NJ Devils. After the whirlwind of activity that he has been on, watching him during the celebration toasting his win once again solidified his team mentality; and the Sport! As the entire stadium cheered him on, when he hopped on the mic, he accepted all the love that was being given to him while also making sure that Tage Thompson of the Buffalo Padres who played that night at this home game also shared the spotlight with him as well! This camaraderie is what we love to see in the sport and makes us understand his greater vision, it’s about growing the sport and highlighting the efforts of the elite men that have the privilege to play it.

We spent a number of hours at the stadium for the first home game post the Olympics from the celebratory portion of the program, the game, heading to the locker room, and continuing to the post game conference to hear from Coach Sheldon Keefe and Jack himself on the epic moments that led to the Golden Goal, celebrating, coming home to NJ, and looking ahead!

Coach Keefe shared with us that even in the midst of Jack coming back from the Olympics and the festivities, upon his arrival, “he just got here before the game – right before pregame. He began with our different meetings, going through preparations to play, and media obligations.” Even with everything that has been going on, “he made some good plays and posts that put us in some good spots.”

He even reflected on the tribute to the Team USA Hockey and the fact that Jack highlighted Tage Thompson who was also on Team USA and played for that night’s opposing team, “I thought it was tremendous and I think it’s a good sign of his character to do that. It’s acknowledging that it’s not all about him and obviously, there’s a lot of things that go into him having the moment that he had, score the goal that he had and for his teammates to be here for that tonight, I thought it was appropriate. I don’t think he was planning to say that necessarily, I think it was Jack in the moment, but I mean, I thought it was a tremendous gesture by Jack for sure!”

Much like Jack’s focus on the team, Coach Keefe also acknowledged the efforts of the organization, “I think all the way around that the tribute was exceptionally done. I thought our organization and our operations team pulled that off on short notice! To have the fans there was amazing! Coming out to the ice tonight, it was very clear that there was an extra buzz in the building. It was a wonderful reception all the way around!” He continued by letting us know that the win as a whole was well deserved for Jack, Team USA, the state of NJ and the country as a whole. “This moment is well deserved and it’s not just for Jack, he’s representing his country, he’s representing our organization, and he’s representing the sport of Hockey.”

Hearing from Coach Keefe, we were excited to sit down with Jack to dig deeper into his Olympic experience. Although the game was on 2.22.26, the final day of the Winter Games, the past few days leading up to the home game we attened had a number of celebrations that he got to share with his Olympic team. He laughed while reflecting that, “it’s been some of the best 3 days in my life probably. I’ve had so much fun with this group of guys!” As much as he had an amazing time, he’s also very present in the moment as he acknowledged that, “it’s nice to get here with the team and get back with my teammates,” at the NJ Devils.

For days we have been talking about the Golden Goal and have seen the videos as it’s an epic moment. For those that may not be familiar with Hockey, the Golden Goal is a sudden-death winning goal during overtime to instantly end a tied game. It denotes a Championship winning goal and was last done by Sidney Crosby in 2010 and now by our Cover Star, Jack Hughes!

We wanted to know more about what led up to the moment during overtime. Listening to Jack share these moments was like being in a film reel and seeing the moments through his eyes. “Obviously, by the time you’re in that locker room, there are so many alphas in one room. We all believed in ourselves as well as who we were as a group.” He explained that they all felt that it didn’t matter who got it, but that someone from there team did, “we were just happy to get it done and the belief in that room was what was going to carry us.”

In terms of the actual moment, this was the play-by-play that we really wanted to know about. Seeing the video and hearing all the think pieces are great, but listening to Jack share it with us as if it was happening in that moment was something that was inspiring to hear. “You know, I get goose bumps watching the video now just because the emotions are so raw, and it means so much to every single one of those guys! I just remember that the goalie shot out at me hard and I couldn’t really see the puck go in initially, and the puck didn’t even shoot out of the net. It hit behind the camera so I just turned the corner, and I saw Dylan Larkin – the first guy I saw, just sprinting up the ice and I just couldn’t believe and I was so proud of our group!”

Once again, it’s worth noting that even when we were talking about his moment and how he felt, he always incorporated the importance of team and what it meant to everyone involved. That feeling that is so intrinsic to his core syncs up to him talking about Tage during the pre-game ceremony on the ice. “When I was told that they were going to do a little celebration before the game you know, I was laying in bed before my nap (Editor’s Note: last month Jack shared his THE 9LIST STORI3S GAM3DAY routine with us and we know how important his naps are) and I was thinking about Tage. I will never be about one person and it’s always about the team and that group of guys. To share that moment with Tage, I hope that when he has his first home game in Buffalo, they do something for him and I really hope he’s playing one of his American teammates and he does the same thing! It’s all about the USA Hockey Brotherhood – that’s what we are.”

As we know, the game took place on the most global of stages – the Olympics and on the home opener of the restart of the 2025-2026 season, you could see that there were so many emotions and the fans in Jersey got the chance to feel close to that kind of win. We wanted to know what coming back to where he plays means and how that moment has that extra layer.

“I really do love living in New Jersey and playing in New Jersey. I got drafted as their first overall pick and I just feel like they accepted me so deeply - I’m their, guy. I come to these games and every time I drive in, all I think about is when I see people walking at 4:30pm with huge jerseys on and I’m unrolling my window and screaming at them and they love that you know? To represent New Jersey and our fans, I’m so proud to be a Devil. I’m so proud to play for the Blitzer family, the Harris family, and the Fitzgeralds. These people, they mean so much to me, so to represent them through all this - New Jersey means so much to me!”

While many are focused on the activities that took place during the overtime goal and what it means in terms of how his life will change, Jack always looks at the bigger picture! “A lot of cool people have been reaching out and that’s important, and they have supported me. But the fact that I’m on a USA Hockey Championship Olympic Gold Medal Team it changes all of our lives – all of the teammates. We’re Champions and we’re Olympic medalists and we’re the team that broke the run of not being able to win! To break that streak and win a Gold medal, it bonds us forever as Olympic Gold medalists. As Hockey players, we did our job. We went over to the Olympics and won a Gold battle. We also have so much respect for the Women’s Hockey Team and they have so much respect for us and we’re all just proud Americans and we’re happy that we both swept the Olympics.”

Going back to the ideology that Jack is steeped in the concept of the power of the team the propulsion that takes place when you have a village that facilitates and supports you, we brought it back to family. Coming from the Hughes Dynasty and the dynamics that are involved, how does this Championship win play into that portion of his life? “First of all, just bringing that Gold medal home - my parents have put in so much work with us. They’ve been everything to us and the 3 of us, we have everything to thank towards them. We’re just so proud to represent them and represent the Hughes family name. Obviously, everyone’s parents mean so much to them and the support, love, care - we’re just so proud that we could celebrate that moment with them. One of my favorite things is my dad’s reaction. I don’t even know if he was kissing Keith Tkachuk or what was going on up there, but they were all so excited for us and we celebrated in Milan with them afterwards. It’s just unbelievable to share that moment with my family and my brother, and so many people that helped us get to this point.”

As we enjoyed spending time with Jack post game and look ahead to the back half of the season, there are a number of great moments from Mike Eruzione who scored the iconic game winning goal for the US Hockey Team in the 1980 Winter Games, Sidney Crosby who achieved the Golden Goal for Canada against the US at the 2010 Vancouver Games, many feel that this Golden Goal will also be talked about for generations to come and even studied by those coming up in the game! But for Jack, “It’s just a moment. It’s an unbelievable moment of my life, but It’s all about the team. I’m looking forward to the times we’re going to enjoy. Hopefully, every year we get together and enjoy that moment but for me it’ll never be about the Golden Goal, it will always be about 3 weeks at the Olympics, that we’re Champions, and what a special group that it was!” He also noted that the Tkachucks said, “It Takes a Village. It Takes a Village,” with the equipment department in the locker room, “from every guy in the group to friends and family that have supported us. Representing your country is the best and this is something that you dream of, but when it happens, you can’t even describe what it feels like. I’ve said it a million times, I’m so proud to be American and so happy that we could get the job done!”

IG @jackhughes

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY | FRONT COVER + PG 31 NJ Devils | BACK COVER + PG 16 -47 Paul Farkas shot with SONY Alpha |

Read the FEB ISSUE #122 of Athleisure Mag and see THE ICE KING | Jack Hughes in mag.

HER HALF PIPE JOURNEY | BEA KIM

This month, we have all enjoyed watching the Olympics and seeing so many stories whether our favorites or new to athletes that hit the podium, played our favorite sport, or just seeing them navigate their Olympic journey! We love snowboarding and Team USA had a number of great stories that we enjoyed watching. Bea Kim has been on our radar for a bit, watching her journey on the global stage along with seeing her hanging out with Chloe Kim and Maddie Mastro. We caught up with Bea as soon as the Olympics concluded to talk about her Olympic debut, the sport, being at her first Olympics and more!

ATHLEISURE MAG: What is your first memory of being on a snowboard and when did you fall in love with it?

BEA KIM: I honestly don’t think I can remember my first memory on a snowboard. I just remember things about when I started. My family would ride on Chair 7 at Mammoth and I had a green jacket and this 8-ball helmet. The jumps were tiny but I was having the time of my life. I think I’m honestly trying to chase that feeling every time I strap in.

AM: When did you realize that you wanted to snowboard competitively and at what point did you go pro?

BK: I realized I wanted to try snowboarding competitively when I randomly entered and podiumed at the JLA Banked Slalom in Mammoth. I saw a kid ride by with a Mammoth Snowboard Team Jacket and I told my dad I wanted to join. He initially laughed because we live by the beach, not close to the mountains, but he allowed me to join and has been my biggest supporter since. I decided I wanted to go pro when I watched Chloe win her first Olympic gold in Korea. That was a pretty pivotal moment for me.

AM: Tell me about halfpipe and why do you love doing it?

BK: I love the halfpipe because it’s always challenging me, both mentally and physically. There are always new tricks to learn and technique to refine. I honestly nerd out on the super little things and sometimes my coaches have to say, “Stop thinking so much -- just go snowboard!” Great advice. I

think playing that line between being analytical and going with what feels right is super exciting.

AM: We always like knowing about what athletes do to optimize themselves in their sport. Are there 3 workouts that you do that you can share with us?

BK: My top three are:

• Bulgarian split squats

• Squat jumps

• Shoulder press

AM: What is an average week like when you are preparing to compete?

BK: Hectic. I’m historically not great during competition practices, so I typically feel a little weird on my board. Majority of the week is spent recovering physically and resetting my brain to approach the next practice or competition day with a strong mindset.

AM: This year, you made it to the Olympics and you placed 8th in your debut! What has the journey to get to the Olympics been like and what are your biggest takeaways in competing this year?

BK: The journey has been wild! I mean it’s been almost a decade now, so to finally get to the Olympics and have the opportunity to compete was super surreal. If I’m being honest, I got caught up in the “Olympic stress” leading up to the Games and had a few rough days. But landing a run in finals really reignited that childish love for snowboarding and has made me super excited for the future. Moving forward, I am going to try and not take everything so seriously. Still put maximum effort and hard work into everything that I do, but loosen up. It makes the journey more enjoyable.

AM: What were the Opening Ceremonies like?

BK: A lot of standing haha. It felt like prom or a graduation because everyone was all dressed up taking pictures just hanging out. I like to think it was our joint celebration of the hard work we all put in of training and qualifying for the Olympics.

AM: We’ve enjoyed seeing images of you and Chloe Kim together. How did you guys connect and what has it meant to you to be able to share your Olympic experience with her competing as well?

BK: We connected through the U.S. Team once I made the pro team. It was very full circle to be able to share my Olympic experience with her. Before she even knew who I was, she was inspiring me to go out and snowboard. Now, she not only continues to inspire me but treats me like a little sister. We talk about snowboarding and life. Lots of selfies and exchanging lip products haha.

AM: When you were not competing or preparing to compete, what was your favorite Olympic experience?

BK: Ooh. The late night pizza runs after training.

AM: What’s next in terms of your snowboarding career?

BK: Having fun. That might be in the halfpipe, or the backcountry, or just riding with my little brother. I want to keep pushing myself while learning to maintain a better relationship with snowboarding.

AM: This Fall you will be attending Columbia University, which is exciting! What are you looking forward to?

BK: Everything! It’s going to be such a new experience and world, than snowboarding, so I am looking forward to all of it. Getting to meet new people and grow a different part of my brain!

AM: You partnered with Protect Our Winters. Can you tell me more about that and why this is synergistic with you?

BK: I grew up in the outdoors. Snowboarding, camping, and hiking were such a huge part of my childhood and who I am as a person. The outdoors has given me my career and so many amazing adventures and opportunities. As I started to travel more it became impossible to ignore climate change. I got in contact with POW because I want future generations to be able to explore and adventure like I did.

AM: When you are not snowboarding, how do you take time for yourself?

BK: It’s pretty simple, haha. Reading, eating, spending time with my friends and family.

IG @hellobeakim

PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS | PG 78 - 82 Courtesy of Bea Kim | PG 84 Trevor Brown Jr./X Games | PG 87 - 89 Isami Kiyooka/Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games |

Read the FEB ISSUE #122 of Athleisure Mag and see HER HALF PIPE JOURNEY | Bea Kim in mag.

ON THE BLADES | STARR ANDREWS

The Olympics has so many components, from those that are qualified to hit the podium, alternates that are ready in case they need to step in, coaches/support teams, and a host of volunteers! We sat down with Starr Andrews who is an alternate for Team USA Figure Skating for the Winter Games 2026. We talked with her about the sport, how she trains, selects the components of her program, being an alternate, and more!

ATHLEISURE MAG: When did you fall in love with skating?

STARR ANDREWS: Definitely when I first saw it. The first time that I ever saw skating is when I thought that it was just so cool and as a child when you see something, you just think, I love that! I was so little, but I have always loved it.

AM: Did you first see it on TV or was it in person?

SA: I saw my mom skate.

AM: When we’re watching ice skating, there is an intricate blend of the music, costuming, and various movements that take place within your routine. When you are thinking about what your routine where do you start and how does it all come together?

SA: It’s kind of a process. When I pick my music, I listen to different things and then I play it in my rink to hear what it sounds like on the big speakers. Sometimes I like it and sometimes I don’t. I’ll ask my coaches opinions as well. He will either be with me or he’ll be like, “maybe not.” One time he said, this sounds better in my car and I took that as a no. The music comes first and then the costume. I pull inspiration from different designers and different pieces. Sometimes if I am skating to music in a movie, it will be inspo from that movie or a music video. So if I like something, we will take something from the outfit that she wore in her music video and to see what it would look like in dress form. With choreography It’s up to my coach Derrick Delmore or Adam Rippon (1B), he did my short the past 3 years. It will be on them and I have a bit of say so and I add a bit of my touches to them, but it is mostly my coach who has the power of the program.

AM: We always enjoy hearing about how athletes optimize themselves in their sport. Are there 3 workout routines that you do to assist you when you are on the ice?

SA: We do a lot of specific exercises of course – single leg calf raises are important. That’s because our ankles need to be strong. I also do a lot of ankle exercises with bands because we are jumping on one foot and landing on one foot and our ankles need to be strong because we are landing on a blade and there is only so much you can go left or right before you’re deeply hurting your ankle. It’s very important that we are very strong ankle wise.

Our core is very important to be strong and we do a lot of core exercises just to keep it tight because it is the center of everything. If we have a loose core it’s easy to go sideways, forwards, and backwards.

AM: In general, as you are an alternate for Team USA, as well as watching everything that is going on, what makes you the most excited for the Winter Games and is there anyone specifically that you are cheering on?

SA: Of course, I am cheering on my team members – let’s go Team USA! I was just watching ice dancing yesterday and they were all amazing! It was just a different atmosphere watching the Olympics and seeing everyone skate! I have skated with them at Nationals and have seen them there as well as getting to the Olympics knowing how hard we have all worked! It makes me happy and so proud of them and for them to be able to go out there and to skate! I’m living vicariously through them and seeing their dream! Every game is different and I have watched a lot of Olympic games. I don’t know, it hits different when some of the colleagues that are there are people that I have hung out with, we have talked about skating and a bunch of different things. To see them and know who they are as a person makes me happy and I love that they are living their best life and it is so cool!

AM: We know that we will be seeing you there soon!

SA: Oh yes! I am working even harder! I seriously have FOMO right now as I want to walk around the village and see all of the things! It makes me happy that they are experiencing it.

AM: When you’re competing, do you have things that you do earlier in the day to get into the mindset of performing, and then are there things that you do to come down from all of that energy?

SA: I would say that I try to make my day as normal as possible. The reality is that it is a normal day, I just get to perform my entire program in front of judges instead of just at home in front of my coach. When I was younger, I had a little more of a tradition such as if I skated later in the day, I had spaghetti before I skated. If it was in the morning, I would always have pancakes. So that was a tradition that I had, but now I make it as normal as possible. Now I know that I just need to put my dress on and just skate as opposed to putting on leggings and a Lululemon top and just skate at home.

AM: What is your beauty routine like and what part of it assists you in ice skating?

SA: So, I would definitely say that I have very dry skin. I moisturize to the gods because my skin sucks it all in like there is no tomorrow! I always have Chapstick on because I just can’t have dry lips. I am a lip product fanatic and I have so many and I can’t deal with dry lips and I hate the idea of dryness so moisturizing is king! In the morning, I put so many things on and the last thing is an oil based sunscreen. After my skin gets nice and thick, I love it.

AM: You have partnered with Gillette Venus, why did you want to connect with them and what are you doing with them?

SA: I have loved them before I connected with them as I used the razors. I love them! I found out that they have even more razors than I know like pubic hair razors – gamechanger! I love the fact that it is small and it’s easy to travel with it. It has this 1 razor on top that is like a trimming razor and I love that they have it. I feel that sometimes it’s hard to use razors that don’t have it because the small areas that I have it really can be focused on by having it. I am obsessed with it and I like how it is very grippy. Most razors have just the thumb that you can hold it. This one doesn’t slip at all. All razors should have this, especially when you’re in the shower and there is water!

AM: What can we keep an eye out for?

SA: I don’t have any competitions for me right now because I am an alternate for the Olympics as well as Worlds. We’ll see what happens with that. My last competitions was 2-3 weeks ago so I am just training and enjoying watching the Olympics! Make sure to follow me socially as I’m always updating my status as they say on Instagram!

IG @starrandrews

PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS | Melanie Heaney/U.S. Figure Skating

NYFW FW26 EDIT

The month of Feb is beyond busy but this year with the addition of the Winter Games 2026, Super Bowl, Grammys and of course, NYFW it’s a lot of activity! NYFW FW26 took place from Feb 11th - 16th and this season, we attended an array of runway shows and presentations as well as backstage coverage. As we do each season, we go over some of the shows that stuck out with us as well as interviews that took place along the way.

LOVESHACKFANCY NYFW FW26

We kicked off this season of NYFW heading backstage to NY based LOVESHACKFANCY which is known for their whimsical collections. Founder and Creative Director Rebecca Hessel Cohen held this runway show at Cooper Hewitt’s Gilded Age mansion and transformed the historic landmark into a sanctuary of romantic vibes. By using history as her guide as well as the social codes of Gossip Girl, she shared that her muse, “is feminine yet opinionated, romantic yet ironic, a little dramatic and fully self-aware. When you’re looking at her, it’s as if she’s been dancing through the halls of Versaille, yet also entirely of the moment.” This upcoming season’s collection is filled with pastels that are grounded in espresso, soft florals that are precisely tailored, and beaded mesh corsetry. With tones of blush, powder blue, deep bordeaux, choclate, gunmetal and more.

Courtesy of Goody, Wet Brush, and Bio Ionic, we watched the hair look and its inspiration come together with Brent Lawler, Celebrity Hairstylist and Lead Hairstylist for this show who talked with us about how he created the look and he even provided a 9 step process on how we can create the look.

He shared that the look was focused on an undone-yet-polished look. “We wanted the hair to feel very chic, but relaxed - a heritage reinterpreted. I wanted a concept that is clear and cohesive. I love a bow and bows are part of the DNA of the brand. I wanted to give a look that is more lived in, more casual, more wintry, and natural. It’s the girl that loves to party but also loves poetry. so if she wakes up in the morning with the bow still in her hair, she just throws on her ballet flat and heads out the door for coffee.”

This look of being undone is one that definitely can be worn to the office, heading to the studio for your workout, and of course to grab cocktails and a meal later!

Because we loved this look and hearing the inspiration behind it, Brent shared with Athleisure Mag how you can create this look in 9 easy steps to bring it from the runway to your every day!

9 STEP HAIRSTYLE

• Step 1: Brush out tangles & negate frizz with the Wet Brush Frizz Free Detangler.

• Step 2: Put a little mousse at the roots for texture and volume.

• Step 3: Use Bio Ionic Smart X Hair Dryer on high heat fast speed to quickly get out any moisture.

• Step 4: Section the hair with Goody Luxe Claw Clips.

• Step 5: Use Bio Ionic Long Barrel Curling Iron in 1.5 inch to create loose waves with natural bends.

• Step 6: Use Batiste Powder Dry Shampoo and Batiste Original Dry Shampoo along the roots for increased volume and texture (which builds the texture and creates airy volume).

• Step 7: Grab pieces of hair and pull back into a Goody Comfortflex thin hair tie, or Goody Clear Elastics, then pull the hair tie down to create a looser look. It allows it to hold the low ponies that were shown in the show.

• Step 8: Go into the ends of and push the Batiste powder into the hair to create more volume and texture.

• Step 9: Add a bow on top of the Goody hair tie.

IG @loveshackfancy

@brentlawler

@goodyhair

@thewetbrush

@bioionic

NEW YORK MEN’S DAY SESSION I FW26

New York Men’s Day is always a great day to see runway shows and presentations that focus on menswear. Held at Mercedes-Benz Manhattan, we were able to connect with collections from brands we enjoy seeing each season as well as those that are new to us.

AVON ANGLERS

NY based Avon Anglers is founded by designer Patrik Rzepski in 2021 and made it’s NYMD debut this season. This collection was filled with wardrobe staples through elevated materials, precise construction, and a restrained point of view. The brand is focused on maintaining and preserving the craft of sewing, maintaining relationships with local makeries and factories as well as being focused on reducing excess by making less, but better.

A.POTTS

A.Potts is a staple of NYMD and is known for clothing that is easy and makes a statement. This season we enjoyed seeing neutral pieces from the collection that also has great visual texture through garments that moved as it hit the runway.

CHELSEA GRAYS

Chelsea Grays theme known as DROWNING presented a luxury streetwear 14-look collection that blends oversized tweed, navy ombré nubby wools, and technical materials with cargo shorts.

PEAK LAPEL

For the past few seasons, we have enjoyed seeing Peak Lapel’s presentation. This season, their theme, Breaking Home Ties focused on a modern, rugged, and refined take on workwear and preppy, traditional codes. Key pieces included standout tailored outerwear, prep styles, and a blend of polished, and functional pieces.

PROJECT BY INFORMA LAS VEGAS PREVIEW

Pieces that showed within this presentation from the morning session as well as the afternoon one were previews of brands that you could see ahead of PROJECT by Informa Las Vegas which took place Feb 17th - 19th. Guests were able to see Devereaux Golf, Goat by James King, GWOP Meet,

KNOTWTR, Lost My Accent, Monadic, Moshe Yossel, Psycho Bunny, Public Drip, RTA, and Ryoko Rain.

IG @newyorkmensday

@avonanglers

@a___potts

@__chelsea.g

@peaklapelnyc

@projectbyinforma

@devereauxgolf

@goatbyjamesking

@gwopmeet

@knotwtr

@lostmyaccent

@monadicclothing

@mosheyossel

@psychobunny

@publicdripbrand

@rtabrand

@ryokorain

FREDERICK ANDERSON FW26

We always enjoy attending Frederick Anderson’s runway shows as it always has drama and great silhouettes. This year, Tony Award nominee Amber Iman (Soul Doctor, Shuffle Along, Hamilton), kicked off the show singing Nina Simone’s Feeling Good. As 34 looks hit the runway, attendees enjoyed hearing bluesy songs from Amy Winehouse and Nina Simone. The looks were a mix of separates and one pieces that pulled from fabrications that included: Chantilly lace, wool tweeds, tulle, chiffon and metallic laser-cut vegan leather. Frederick shared that he, “wanted to write a story about finding strength in all the blackness. We’re in a black time, and you can find an inner strength in that. Throughout the collection, there’s all these layers and different fabrications that layer on top. It’s all in the details and it’s all for the woman to enjoy. It isn’t for everyone.”

IG @frederickanderson_designer

NEW YORK MEN’S DAY SESSION II FW26

CHRISTOPHER LOWMAN FW26

For the second session of NYMD, we enjoyed seeing another round of great looks. This portion of NYMD included designers who made their debut this season.

SKI TRIP was the theme of Christopher Lowman’s FW26 collection which merged alpine sport with downtown ease. The performance fabrics used in the line included neoprene, gabardine, double-sided fleece, and boiled wool that was finely tailored into exaggerated silhouettes with a palette that embraced all that is winter oriented.

MONDAY BLUES, STUDIO FW26

One of the most interesting brands that showed at this platform was Monday Blues, Studio. This brand is rooted in sustainability. What really struck out was garments that reimagined discarded burlap coffee bags into one-of-a-kind, made-to-order couture garments.

WANGDA FW26

A new to us designer was Wangda that created strong menswear pieces that showcase how you can look dapper while having an elegance that makes you think of Old Hollywood brought forward as well as east meets west sensibility. By blending in America, British and Japanese aesthetics, something completely new was presented within this collection of warm tones and deep eggplant hued suiting.

SCIENCE PROJECT COMPANY FW26

Our favorite designer that shows all day at NYMD was Science Project Company hands down. Seeing a runway show that also featured a presentation was a great way to enjoy this line of menswear apparel along with bags that you could imagine in any of your tunnel fashion views from your sport of choice!

The collection reflects the man on the go who is navigating between a number of activities that tru;y tale him from day to night. Standouts included outerwear, multi-pocketed pants, and a very large weekender bag that we continue to think about.

IG @christopherlowman

@mondaybluesstudio

@wangda_official

@scienceprojectcompany

MODEST NOW X MUSLIMI

During the Modest Now X MUSLIMI runway show, we were able to see 2 lines that showcased their designs. In womenswear, Amariah had luxe elegant pieces that literally floated down the runway whether they were separates or dresses in tulle, lace and a number of fabrications across hues.

For menswear, we were treated to Athari Wear that really showcased a lifestyle collection of looks from what one would wear to work out, run errands, and to go out for a nice meal. In addition, a number of accessories and sneakers from the brand really rounded out this line.

Both shows were a great way to showcase modest dressing and it was easy to see how these items could be seen on the street or in your favorite show.

IG @modestnow.theshows

@muslimi.official

@amariah

@athariwear

LAQUAN SMITH FW26

Going backstage is a great way to see the looks come together where beauty and fashion truly support one another. We were invited to go backstage at LaQuan Smith via KISS and we had the opportunity to chat with Celebrity Nail Artist/Manicurist Gina Edwards to find out about the inspiration behind the nail look and how it tied into the overall vision of this FW26 show which included structured silhouettes, sharp tailoring and Bond Girl vibes.

ATHLEISURE MAG: We always enjoy when we see you backstage at iconic fashion shows. The last time we were with you, it was at Prabal Garung’s FW24 and we’re here with you today for LaQuann Smith’s FW26. What can you tell us about the direction of the nails that we will see today?

GINA EDWARDS: These are the nail looks for the show. What we did with LaQuann is that he is all about edgy, tailoring to a tee and this season’s inspo is the James Bond Girl.

The Bond Girl is a structural and intentional woman! With that, we did the KISS (their new branding) with their core collection which comes in your classic colors, your trends, and your classic French with the Chrome. These are long, and they’re oval, and you want it Stiletto and they are shaped nails like a bullet now. So think about James Bond, he’s always carrying a gun with bullets. Some of the models are wearing the more classic French out of the box. Others are wearing the Chrome finish. With the French, we’re just shaping them out to a Stiletto which is Fascinating - that’s the name of those.

With the Chrome, we customized a mixed chrome finish to give it more like a gunmetal.

AM: Right.

GE: To make it that bullet, you see it here. I mean, we have seen Chrome over and over again, but the fact that when you could in terms of relate it to the collection and how it is all cohesive, it kind of really is amazing.

AM: How long did it take for you to come up with this concept as we know that, like, you go through the files!

GE: So, I can’t speak for him, but I know that he had this woman in mind. He envisioned that she had this strong, powerful edginess, and we wanted to take that and put into context and put that onto the nail right. Thinking back to James Bond, you have this fierce sensibility with guns.

He wanted that type of woman to show on the nails. And I think KISS nailed it again – the whole team. We just came up with an idea of just having this gunmetal finish to match with a lot of what you’re going to see in his pieces/ The shoes, the hair it was all how to tie that all into what he envisions on a nail for this collection.

AM: So the classic French can be purchased and is ready to go out of the box.

GE: Yes, right out of the box, you could purchase the French, the French classic. It’s called Fascinating and is part of the collection by KISS which is a staple in their line.

AM: Now, if you wanted to recreate the Chrome one at home, how can we do that as we know that this was done custom for this NYFW FW26 runway show?

GE: Yeah, so it’s a little tricky because I did mix the chrome to get this finish. It’s a DIY you can do on your own. You can pick out a chrome finish and maybe add a little black to it to kind of give it a little deepness, and then you go from there you add your gel and then you buff it down, you know? It’s like 20 different steps, but we do have the how-to guide for those people that want to do it!

AM: For our gel people out there who go in get their nails done and then on their next visit, they get it removed and get another gel, how can they keep the skin on their hands looking amazing? Right now we’re navigating the Winter here in NYC which is very tough on the skin and drying!

GE: The first thing I would say is to carry cuticle oil with you at all times! Your skin needs to stay moisturized especially at night! Just like your face has day cream and night cream! Having this for your hands will keep them moisturized and it’s also about building up your fats internally. You know, make sure you’re eating avocados and nutrients that create those fats which helps your skin. and out of oil, you know, it’s really fat. You want to make sure that you are getting the most natural oils that are good for you from the inside out!

If you’re interested in achieving the Chrome look at home that Gina customized for this show, she tells us how we can do this in 3 simple ways.

• Step 1: Select and size KISS CORE Collection nail in Fascinating and customize shape into a sharp stiletto.

• Step 2: Apply nail glue to the artificial nail and the natural nail, then press down gently, repeat on all ten nails.

• Step 3: Leave as is for the classic French tip look, or layer on your favorite bullet chrome on top for the dark silver finish.

IG @laquan_smith

@ginaedwards_

@kissnails

VEEJAY FLORESCA FW26

For our final NYFW show, we made our way to the Ritz Carlton NoMad to see the latest Project Runway S21 winner Veejay Floresca where she showcased her FW26 Collection Presentation. During her season we enjoyed how she attacked each of the challenges creating stunning looks. So we knew that her show was going to be one that we had to see.

Veejay’s collection was filled with modern glamour, designed to evoke confidence, sensuality, and individuality. Her inspiration for this season came from Willem de Kooning’s abstract expressionist paintings. She wove in bold, gestural color and layered textures into tactile fabrics, heavy knits, and sculptural finishes that create movement and depth. Oversized, fluid silhouettes balance spontaneity and control, resulting in pieces that feel both striking and wearable. As she is known as an eveningwear and special occasion designer, she explored color, texture, and form through an elevated yet effortless lens. In attendance were a number of designers from her season as well as Christian Sriano.

IG @projectrunway

@veejayfloresca

PHOTOGRAPHY | PG 129 LoveShackFancy | PG 130 Peak Lapel NYC | PG 133 Estelle Sweeney | PG 134 Ben Hider | PG 137 Michael Pagara |

Read the FEB ISSUE #122 of Athleisure Mag and see NYFW FW26 EDIT in mag.

PUSHING THE LIMITS | MARK MCMORRIS

This month, we end the year with a cover star that we are very excited about who is the most decorated snowboarder in X Games history, with 24 medals (G11, S10, B3) as well as being a 3X Bronze Olympic Team Canada Snowboarding medalist - Mark McMorris! He is known for taking to the snow in Slopestyle, Big Air and Backcountry as he truly has a passion for his sport! His love for it has taken him all over the world, whether he’s competing or doing stunning films such as his latest PAVED in collaboration with Red Bull and Burton, that are both sponsors of his! He has additional coveted list of sponsors as well as including Oakley, Dove Men + Care, KLM Airlines, and Toyota to name a few.

We caught up with him ahead of some phenomenal competitions including Rockstar Energy Open that took place this month, X Games next month, and the Winter Olympics 2026 in Milano Cortina, Italy - for his 4th appearance - just for starters. We wanted to know more about how skateboarding led to snowboarding, the styles of snowboarding that he enjoys doing, the importance of competitions, how he approaches training, the upcoming season, and how he gives back through the McMorris Foundation!

ATHLEISURE MAG: We know that you enjoy skateboarding. What took you from that sport and drew you to snowboarding?

MARK MCMORRIS: Honestly, we went on a family trip and my brother and I are 2 years a part and my mom was about to have us go on a ski lesson and we saw snowboards for the first time! They were on the wall in the rental zone where you would sign up and get your gear for your lesson. I had skateboarded the entire Summer before and I thought, “I want to stand sideways, I want to be able to skateboard on the snow.”

Thank God our neighbors on our street were skateboarders and kind of got me into that and hooked on that! If not, I might have went into ski lessons! I’m very thankful that I became a boarder and it is a huge kudos and thank you to skateboarding!

AM: At what point did you think that you wanted to go pro and really do this as a career?

MM: I think when I was 12 or 13. I knew that I had potential and that I loved nothing more than being able to snowboard and to be up in the mountains with my friends. I didn’t know how I was going to do it, but I was definitely plotting that I would be able to stay in the mountains and to enjoy this and to do it for the rest of my life! I didn’t know what avenue I was going to go, but I did have my mind made up that I wanted to snowboard for the rest of my life.

To do so professionally was the dream. I mean, when you’re super passionate about something, it’s crazy how hard the human can work towards it!

AM: 100%!

You’re known for Slopestyle and also Big Air, can you tell us about these disciplines and why you are drawn to them?

MM: Slopestyle is a combination of rails and jumps – kind of what you would see around every single snow park. Most resorts will have a couple of jumps and a couple of rails. That’s what a lot of kids grow up doing in that freestyle of things of riding. There’s less and less half pipes nowadays. Where we grew up in Western Canada, there wasn’t many half pipes if any! So, that’s kind of what I was drawn to and obviously, I liked catching big jumps.

So, catching Big Air, is just one single jump. Slopestyle is a combination of jumps and rails which we really love and are drawn to. That’s kind of what you would see in the movies and things like that. So, I have always had a big love for it, and still do!

AM: Clearly, snowboarding is a full body sport, but do you find yourself doing other fitness methods or workouts that help to optimize you when you are doing this?

MM: For sure! Having mobility and strength in those deep ranges will keep you less injury prone, will make you be able to stay on the mountain longer – so strength and mobility are kind of the 2 bigaboos and I work on those daily. Especially as I get older, it’s always been very important to me and I came up during a time where my elders were like, “you have to stretch and you have to do gym work.” If you want to be a pro, you have to be a pro athlete and you have to have fitness and that kind of strength to be able to do it at the level that we are doing it and to of course have that kind of longevity! You want to try to stay out of that rehab zone!

AM: From what you can tell as we’re talking to you as you’re preparing for the Rockstar Energy Open in Breckenridge – how is it different than other competitions that you have been in as I know this is their first debut in snow.

MM: Yeah. I think it is really exciting that there is a different kind of contest that is happening in an Olympic year where it’s usually very regimented. It’s nice to be able to switch it up and kudos to them to get a unique group of riders together and to have a very unorthodox, fun, creative course that we would normally not see and to have a fun twist on things! I’m really stoked to be here and it’s nice to have this break in the season. You’re still competing and you still want do well and you’re making a plan and trying to do a run. At the same time, it feels a little more laid back and you’re not chasing points to qualify for the Olympics or going for broke on some 80’ jump – it’s all fun sized and extremely creative.

AM: You have the X Games coming up as well as the Winter Olympics. What’s a week of training look like when you are focused on competitions like that. Are you doing anything different?

MM: A week of training during a major competition like the X Games or the Olympics, is a lot of planning around when the practice sessions are. You’re trying to peak at the right times, trying to get the rest you need – when you have a day off, maybe you’re going to do a lift then. Most of the time, it’s a lot of recovery and mobility, breathwork, thoracic spine, and things like that – trying to just keep the chassis in tip top shape. Trying to eat clean and prioritizing a good 8 hour rest, things like that.

I would say that on non-competition weeks, you’re lifting more weights and doing harder gym sessions. But the practice sessions are a ton of impact and a ton of mental stress. So when you get off the hill, you’re in the gym, but it’s more about spinning, recovery, mobility, eating clean, and sleeping.

AM: Wow!

You’re one of the most decorated snowboarders and with the X Games being a few weeks away, what do you love about competing there and what are you looking forward to?

MM: The X Games has been so amazing for my career! I have had great success in Aspen and I love the town – it’s a special place. I can’t say enough good things about X Games and Aspen – it has truly built my career to what it is. I’m just thankful that I am still doing it and my first X Games was in 2011 in Aspen –

AM: Which is crazy because that’s veteran status there!

MM: Yeah, 15 years now! I’m thankful to still be going out there, I’m thankful to still be able to have a shot at winning. I’m feeling healthy and happy and I’m really excited to be able to get back there!

AM: This will be your 4th Olympic appearance. What does it mean to you to represent your country, participate in the opening and closing ceremonies, and to compete on that kind of global stage?

MM: It’s an honor to represent your country! Like you said, it will be my 4th time around which I am extremely proud of. There’s not a single male that I competed with in 2014 at the Sochi Olympics that will be at the Olympics in Italy. I am proud of that longevity and I am proud of the hard work that I have put in. I am really looking forward to going out there and doing my best and riding to the best of my ability. I really feel like that if I do that, I have a good shot at some hardware. I’m excited for family and friends to be around because the last one in 2022, it was quite COVID’d out. It wasn’t a ton of spectators.

When I go to an Olympics, it’s always been pretty focused mode – horse blinders on. Not really like taking in a ton – you’re just kind of focused on what you’re doing. I actually went to Paris for the last Summer Games and it was a lot of fun to be able to take in an Olympics and not to compete! I could just be a fan and I really enjoyed that! So I’m excited for friends and family to come to get that experience and obviously, as I get older and mature more, I know that there is a lot more to life than that, but I will definitely be locked in and focused and I will try to enjoy it as well as the pizza and pasta as well!

AM: Pizza and pasta – that’s our language right there!

MM: Yup! If we’re going to get a big work in, you get to have a carb load!

AM: As someone who has competed all over the world, you have filmed all over the world, are there 3 places that are your top destinations to snowboard in that you can share?

MM: It’s really hard for me and I guess I’m biased, but I will say that Western Canada has got to be in my top 2 if not 1! I think Japan is a place that if you love to ski or snowboard, it’s a must! Anytime after the New Year to late Feb, it’s really hard not to score there. It’s a really special place and it’s neat to go there and to experience that culture. I spend a lot of time on the glaciers in Europe during the Fall for training and I like spending time in Switzerland, Austria – places like that! I really like Italy – their mountains are amazing and the people and the culture are also amazing there. I think that the Alps, Japan and Canada are my 3 favorite places to go.

AM: Because you do travel so much, are there 3 items that you like to take with you that make you feel like you’re at home?

MM: Yeah! You know I return to the same spots a lot over the last 15 years. Something that always comes with me is this little portable blender and then I have juicers all around the world at the places that I stay! Then, there’s my roller! Like I bring that in my carry-on because sometimes I get off the plane and when I am waiting for the next flight, I can just roll my back out and it’s such a good feeling – I love it! I would say that those are obviously my essentials – I mean clearly there’s my passport and things like that.

But the things that I bring that I like, my portable smoothie, I have juicers everywhere and my roller!

AM: What do you think has allowed you to have such longevity in this sport?

MM: I think what has helped me to have such longevity in this sport is keeping a good circle of people around me. Keeping friends, family, agents, and managers that keep it fun for me. That’s really important and people that want to work hard and succeed, you need to surround yourself with people that have like minded goals for sure! Then there’s my overall passion for snowboarding, my love for snowboarding has been something that has definitely pushed me and helped me to elevate my career. My love for the community of snowboarding, and how thankful that I am that it has given me the life that I couldn’t have even dreamed of. It has literally been something that I couldn’t have even dreamed of. It’s really important for me to try and to give back. We do that with the McMorris Foundation and things like that. We just try to break down the barriers of entry. I think that giving back to a community that has given you everything is really important with longevity. Also not just competing my whole career – it’s also breaking off and doing some films and just not doing the same thing constantly – it has kept it fun for me!

AM: You mentioned the McMorris Foundation that you started with your brother, Craig, did you think that it would be where it is at today?

MM: No! Honestly, I’m so thankful that we did it as far back as we did. It kind of seemed like we weren’t big enough to have a foundation when we started it, but that’s not true. We got to meet some incredible people and some generous people and have had quite a big outreach. We’ve had connections to other athletes, we’ve got to do some amazing things and to raise tons of money and I feel like we’re so lucky and have been able to play hockey, to play baseball, to snowboard and to do this and to do that. It taught us a lot in life. You can learn a lot through sport and I want every kid to have that experience and it is something that is near and dear to my heart.

AM: When you’re not competing, how do you take time for yourself?

MM: Um, I am a huge sports person so even when I have time off, I’m engaging in sports whether it’s surfing, playing hockey, skateboarding, going to sporting events! Obviously, spending time with my family – we all like to golf. I like to chill with my friends really and just doing normal stuff. I definitely like to try and experience some of the places that I have been lucky enough to go to, but it is so work focused. So I prioritize that more by going on trips to see places and really immersing myself in the culture which I quite enjoy. It can be like I said, like horse blinders sometimes when you are going to these places and you have such a goal and it’s like work – well it is work because you’re grinding. So, I want to experience these places and more things and those places that I love. I’m a huge food guy, I love food from different places around the world. So I really indulge in that when I can!

AM: You’re also known for snowboarding in the backcountry and last night, we watched PAVED.

MM: Nice!

AM: Yeah, it was the best 42 mins of our time last night watching this in prep for this interview!

MM: Sick! That’s really cool to hear – thank you!

AM: We’ve snowboarded and we are nowhere near your level, but we do like doing it to go out a bit and then to have drinks after.

But watching you and the other athletes in the backcountry at locales around the world was really great to see as we are fans of theirs as well. Tell us about this movie as we know it was done in partnership with Red Bull and Burton and why did you want to participate in this?

MM: I mean, it was a little tricky timing in terms of being in such a big year coming up. It was something that is so important to me in being able to have such a presence in the backcountry and the film world. It was really cool to hear that you watched it because you see how cinematic it is in the backcountry and how it looks. Of course it can look a little scary sometimes.

AM: Oh it was terrifying to see the ones in Alaska – couldn’t imagine it!

MM: Yeah it’s like wow! Snowboarding on these untouched slopes it’s just so majextic and picturesque and honestly, it’s a ton of fun to be out there for me. I love pushing myself like that as well and it’s such a team effort filming. You’re all helping each other and you have each other’s backs! That’s a nice change sometimes – I mean we all have each other’s backs, but we’re also competing. So being in the backcountry with Zeb Powell (X Games G1 + S1) for the first time and long time friends with Danny Davis (X Games G2), Brock Crouch, and Ben Ferguson (X Games S1 + B1) – to have that crew together and just making an awesome film! Thank you to Red Bull and Burton for giving us that rad opportunity! It was something that I definitely couldn’t pass up and I think that they did an awesome job on the movie!

AM: It was beautiful and what came to mind was in watching surfing for years and specifically things like the big waves in thinking about HBO’s 100 Foot Wave, you know about the tow in for surfers. The film illustrated this with drops ins from the helicopter as well as the Ski-Doos - not sure if that is correct...

MM: Oh yeah the Ski-Doo, you’re right – you nailed it! It’s crazy what you can access on those things and that’s a big part of it. Of course, as you saw, the triangle has the Helli on top which is the top mode of transportation! But Ski-Doo, they’re amazing what you can get to. I loved being back there and being able to enjoy that with friends, it’s freaking special and you don’t have that kind of instant gratification. Like if you’re doing a competition and you do well, you’re on that podium. But when you do this and you get clips and you see it all come together, and it’s such a team effort – that’s comparable, if not more gratifying at times.

AM: The film was awesome and the music – everything was just produced and came so well together. It was very cool!

MM: Thank you! I’m happy that you enjoyed it.

AM: You have 24 medals from the X Games, 3 from the Olympics, you’ve won US Opens, you have coveted brands that are sponsoring you, you’ve been in a number of films, and you have left your fingerprint on the sport. What do you want your legacy to be known as when they are looking at Mark McMorris and this incredible career?

MM: Ooo. Someone that pushed the limits. Someone that had a love for the sport and really focused on all sides of the sport and wasn’t just kind of like a one lane kind of guy. Someone who gave back to the community. That would be something that I would be truly proud of!

AM: We appreciate you taking the time, we didn’t realize that you will be training tomorrow in prep for the competition that is taking place this weekend!

MM: No problem! I’m so excited for this cover and it’s so neat that I will be on the cover as there have been some very impressive people that have been in it!

IG @markmcmorris

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY | FRONT COVER/BACK COVER Chris Singer/Red Bull Content Pool | PG 16, 27 Frederik Kalbermatten | PG 19, 20, 28, 30, 34, BACK COVER Aaron Blatt | PG 23, 24 Emily Tidwell/Red Bull Content Pool | PG 33, 40, 44 - 51 X Games | PG 36 Christian Pondella | PG 38 Cole Giordano/Red Bull Content Pool | PG 42 Rock Star Energy Open |

Read the DEC ISSUE #120 of Athleisure Mag and see PUSHING THE LIMITS | Mark McMorris in mag.