Some winter sports athletes use the offseason for cycle training, hiking trips, surfing, or simply take a well-earned break; Eileen Gu apparently takes it to the studio. Within days of each other, the 22-year-old Olympic freestyle skiing champion landed the June 2026 covers of both Vogue China and Harper’s Bazaar China, two of the most prestigious fashion publications in the world’s largest market.
The Vogue China June 2026 cover was photographed by Nick Yang and pictures Gu in a stylish turtle neck with a diamond tiara, befitting of the queen of Freestyle skiing. The Vogue China cover marks Gu’s second Vogue cover after appearing on the cover of Vogue Hong Kong just over a year ago.
The Harper’s Bazaar China June 2026 cover was shot by photographer Chen Man with styling by fashion editor Jihan Diao and features Gu perched in a tree in an eclectic woven leather dress. It is also Gu’s second Harper’s Bazaar cover after being featured on the cover in October 2024. The Harper’s Bazaar China cover generated immediate social media buzz. “You’re unreal,” NASCAR driver Toni Breidinger wrote in response.
An Olympic Year That Refused to Slow Down
The covers cap what has been a remarkable 12 months, even by Gu’s standards. She entered the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan carrying enormous expectations and delivered once again, winning gold in halfpipe and silver in both big air and slopestyle. With six career Olympic medals, Gu is now the most decorated Olympic freeskier in history. She also remains the only freestyle skiing athlete to win three medals at a single Winter Olympics, a feat she has now accomplished twice.
When a reporter suggested her two silver medals could be viewed as disappointments, Gu famously pushed back. “Winning a medal at the Olympics is a life-changing experience for every athlete. Doing it five times is exponentially harder because every medal is equally hard for me, but everybody else’s expectations rise, right? The ‘two medals lost’ situation — to be quite frank with you — I think is kind of a ridiculous perspective to take. I’m showcasing my best skiing, I’m doing things that quite literally have never been done before, and so I think that is more than good enough.”
The Olympics ended, but the pace never slowed for the Chinese-American. In April, Gu co-hosted the Laureus Sport Awards alongside Novak Djokovic and later captured the overall title at the Snow League. Then came the Met Gala. For the event, Gu wore a custom Iris van Herpen design constructed with 15,000 hand-formed glass bubbles and requiring 2,550 hours to complete. The dress featured hidden microprocessors beneath the skirt that released real bubbles as she walked the red carpet, creating the illusion that the garment was dissolving into air. Van Herpen said the dress was designed to express “the weightlessness of Eileen and her athletic skills — it takes her up into the air and embodies her airborne grace on the slopes.” Gu described it more simply: “I’m literally wearing art. It’s a play on movement, on nature, and being fun and whimsy. There are 15,000 glass bubbles on me. 2,500 hours of work — insane.”
A Fashion Career Built Alongside Skiing
The double cover is not a sudden move into fashion. It is simply the latest milestone in a modelling career Gu has built in parallel with her skiing since her teenage years. She has been making her mark in the fashion industry since age 15, walking the runway for Louis Vuitton, closing the Brunello Cucinelli 2025 show, and opening and closing the Bosideng 2024 show during Milan Fashion Week.
Gu is also a founding member of Victoria’s Secret’s VS Collective and serves as a brand ambassador for Louis Vuitton, Tiffany, IWC, and Porsche. Forbes reported that she earned approximately $23 million in sponsorship deals in a single year, making her the fourth-highest-paid female athlete in the world in 2025.
Represented by IMG Models, Gu has appeared on the covers of the Chinese editions of Harper’s Bazaar, Elle, Cosmopolitan, GQ, Marie Claire, V, L’Officiel, and Vogue. The June 2026 double cover adds two more entries to a list that most professional models would consider a complete career on its own.
What’s Next for Eileen Gu
Gu has told Olympics.com that she plans to return to Stanford this fall after putting her studies on hold during the Olympic year. She has also spoken about exploring other sports and pursuits beyond skiing and fashion as a way to continue challenging herself.
At 22, Gu has won six Olympic medals, appeared on the covers of some of the world’s most prestigious fashion magazines, earned eight figures annually in sponsorship income, co-hosted a major global awards ceremony, worn a dress made from 15,000 glass bubbles to the Met Gala, and is still an undergraduate student. The two magazine covers are not a career milestone, they are a footnote in a busy career.
