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Simone Biles was a vision in glittering royal blue as she walked the red carpet at Hollywood’s Dolby Theatre for the 2025 ESPY Awards.
The record-breaking Olympic gymnast shone in a custom Athleta by Zac Posen gown. It was a body-hugging floor-length design with short sleeves that mimicked the stretchy fit of a gymnastics leotard. The dress also boasted a sleek open back, which Posen designed to resemble one of Biles’s favorite Athleta pieces, the Transcend open-back tee.
The gown’s glow came not from the Swarovski crystals used to bedazzle leotards but from the hundreds of small light bugle beads that covered it all over. Each bead was hand stitched and took more than 25 artisans over 1,000 hours to complete.
“For this piece, I wanted to create something that speaks to her power, her movement, and her identity,” Posen said. “Using Athleta’s performance fabric allowed me to explore a new kind of couture—one that marries functionality with elegance.”
Biles wore the dress with black leather platform Aquazzura heels with a silver sphere charm, plus a white watch and layers of Effy diamonds, including dangly earrings and several rings. She had her hair styled in a wavy bob and capped off her look with a luxurious French manicure.
“Working with Zac Posen on this dress was such a special experience. It was our first time collaborating, and I loved how we each brought something unique to the table,” Biles said.
Their collaboration was a natural next step for both the athlete and the designer. Biles is a longtime Athleta face and partner and has launched capsule collections with the brand before. Posen, meanwhile, is Gap Inc.’s creative director, and the house owns various iconic brands, including Gap, Old Navy, Banana Republic, and Athleta.
Biles added, “Zac has such a strong vision for elegance, and I focused on how the dress should feel when I move. Finding that balance between beauty and comfort while creating something that feels strong and feminine was definitely the most exciting part for me.”
The ESPYs, or Excellence in Sports Performance Yearly Awards, is an annual awards show presented by ESPN (since 1993) that recognizes exceptional achievements and performances in sports. At this year’s ceremony, Biles was joined by fellow Team USA Olympians and longtime teammates Sunisa Lee and Jordan Chiles.
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