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The U.S. Olympic Gymnastics Trials are days away, but in the meantime, you can catch all-around gold medalist Suni Lee taking flight elsewhere: in LoveShackFancy’s latest campaign. The womenswear brand, beloved for its ruffles and florals, has teamed up with Cotton Incorporated for an Americana capsule collection, just in time for the Fourth of July (and, for stylish sports fans, maybe even cheering on Team USA at the Olympics).
In the images, 21-year-old Lee shows off her athleticism while modeling the summery styles. She wears a red, white, and blue dotted halter dress while leaping through the air and “USA”-embroidered crochet shorts in front of the American flag. She stands on a swing in a stars-and-stripes ruffled halter gown, does a backbend in a pink mini dress, and even hangs from a set of rings in a breezy white maxi dress. No leotards? No problem.
“It’s so nice, because every time I put something on, it’s just made me feel so confident, and it’s so comfortable,” Lee tells ELLE.com from the set of the shoot in New York. With summer finally in full swing, the gymnast suggests that the pieces are “perfect for vacations,” whether you’re headed to the beach or out to dinner. She adds of the ultra-feminine details: “The ruffles, I love.”
Lee shot the campaign in Manhattan’s Chelsea neighborhood in May, right after competing in three events at the Core Hydration Classic in Connecticut. (She finished first on beam.) “It was crazy. I literally competed, and then I came here the next morning,” Lee says over the phone during her lunch break. “This life is just not real, but I’m just so grateful to be able to work with these amazing brands.”
It also marks a full-circle moment for LoveShackFancy founder Rebecca Hessel Cohen, who is a former gymnast herself. “When we were dreaming up who would star in our Cotton campaign, we considered many incredible people, but the decision was unanimous when Suni’s name came up!” she tells ELLE.com. “She felt perfect for this partnership, especially considering this critical time in her career. I grew up passionate about gymnastics and deeply admire and respect Suni’s accomplishments. Plus, I’m beyond impressed by what she has overcome and how she has persevered. She’s the perfect representation of the next generation of female powerhouses.”
Lee appreciated being able to relate with a fellow gymnast on set. “It’s fun to be able to talk gymnastics to somebody who understands,” she says.
Suni Lee and LoveShackFancy founder Rebecca Hessel Cohen pose together on set.
As someone who is usually in activewear and leotards all day, Lee’s typical off-the-mat style is somewhere between feminine and sporty. “I feel like I’ve definitely been really channeling my girly, feminine era right now. I love getting dressed up, love doing my hair, and my makeup, feeling pretty, so this is perfect, because I’ve just been loving feeling confident everywhere I’ve been able to go.”
But she loves getting pampered too. “I love getting my hair and makeup done. It’s so fun. You know I love my eyelashes, I always have to have them on, have my nails done. I feel like it’s just a part of my brand, at this point,” she says with a laugh.
And for anyone curious about Lee’s lash routine, you can ask her sister. “My sister actually got licensed, and she does my eyelashes, so it’s really nice, because whenever I need a fill, I just call her, and she’s always willing to do it. It’s a part of my routine. I go every two weeks, and she always keeps them full.”
For Lee, however, self-care isn’t just about the lashes; it’s about caring for her mental health, too. Over the past few months, Lee has steadily made her return to the national stage after being diagnosed with a kidney disease last year, which kept her from competing. It was a big mental and physical challenge for the gymnast, who had just made history as the first Asian woman and the first Hmong-American to win the all-around Olympic gold just a few years prior. But Lee has been steadily improving.
“I like to journal a lot. I visualize a lot too, just because gymnastics is such a mental game. It’s just been my life for so long, to the point where if my gymnastics is not right, I don’t really know how to work outside of that, but journaling has been really important to me.
“Also, I go to therapy, talk about my feelings, and that’s been a big change from I think the last Olympics, and getting ready for this one. I love doing my skin care routine, face masks, and just, like I said, making myself feel better, so getting my lashes done, nails done, and just doing anything that I can that puts me back at peace.”
Earlier this month, she finished fourth at the U.S. Championships, with particularly strong performances in uneven bars and balance beam.
The Olympic trials on June 29 will be in Lee’s home state of Minnesota, but she’s trying not to let the pressure get the better of her. “I think right now I’m actually feeling really good,” she says. “I think we’re pacing really well, not getting ready too early, so I’m not at the point where my body is breaking down on me, but also making sure that I am just ready for the end of the season.”
See Suni Lee’s Full LoveShackFancy Campaign
