By Cedie Lazaro
Move over, tennis whites. Alex Eala just traded her baseline hustle for the front row, and honestly, she served absolute looks.
Fresh off her historic run at the 2026 U.S. Open, the 21-year-old Filipina tennis phenom made her highly anticipated debut at New York Fashion Week (NYFW). And if you thought she only knew how to dominate a scoreboard, her front-row fashion track record just proved she is officially entering her global “It Girl” era. Even fashion’s ultimate gatekeeper, Anna Wintour, has been singing her praises, pointing out Alex’s totally organic, effortless love for style.
The Front-Row Serve
Spotted chatting on the red carpet at the Tory Burch Spring/Summer 2027 show, Alex admitted to feeling a little bit of those classic first-time jitters—though you would never guess it looking at her. Rubbing shoulders with the likes of Amanda Seyfried and Lauryn Hill, she looked completely at home in a vibrant red blazer and sleek beige ensemble.
But the best part of her look? It came with a side of sweet nostalgia. Alex revealed that sitting at Tory Burch was a massive full-circle moment because her mom used to wear the brand’s shoes all the time when Alex was growing up. Talk about a major core memory unlocked.
In Her Own Words
When asked about what connects sports and fashion for her, Alex nailed the exact energy of the modern Gen Z athlete:
“Sports and fashion are common in a way where you get to express yourself, and you get to, you know, show your personality.”
She acknowledged that she is still learning her way around the runway compared to the court, adding with a laugh, “Sports is very physically demanding, and fashion… Maybe come back to me after this week, and I’ll know more about it.”
Two Shows, Two Total Vibes
If anyone knows how to pivot a strategy, it is a pro athlete. Alex did not just stick to one aesthetic for the week.
- The Tory Burch Look: Sharp, modern, and beautifully tied to her family roots.
- The Michael Kors Look: Pure vintage glamour. Alex channeled major Audrey Hepburn energy, stepping out in a flawless little black dress, formal evening gloves, kitten heels, and a sleek high chignon.
With the media rounds done and dusted, Alex is packing up her luxury fits and heading into the WTA Asian swing. But if this week proved anything, it is that whether she is holding a trophy or a designer clutch, Alex Eala is the one to watch.
Lorin Gutierrez-Bektas is on the cover of STYLISH Magazine right now. In our latest cover story, discover how she’s carving her own path and challenging what success looks like for today’s generation.
Read the current Stylish Magazine cover story here.
Our #StylishPodcast episode featuring our September-October cover girl Jasmine Curtis-Smith is out. Watch it on Facebook and YouTube.
Stylish Magazine is “your source of self-love, style & inspiration” first introduced in June 2020. Our television series format, Stylish TV, once ranked one of the Top 50 Most Watched Multicultural Shows in the USA, can be streamed on iWantTFC and be watched on TFC (The Filipino Channel) in more than 50 countries. Watch it online here.
Style Visionary Network is a lifestyle-business online platform where #WeCreateVisionaries. Also introduced in June 2020, Style Visionary Network is also the digital home channel of media brands Stylish Magazine and Stylish TV.