Alex Eala makes fashion week debut in New York for Tory Burch
MANILA, Philippines — The Alex Eala mania is not stopping on the grand hard courts of Flushing Meadows.
As if etching a bevy of firsts for Philippine tennis isn’t already enough, Eala on Friday debuted at the renowned Tory Burch Show in the New York Fashion Week (NYFW) at the Gotham Hall in New York City.
Clad in red blazer and brown slacks, 21-year-old Filipina tennis star served as an athlete guest at the front row of the show for the Spring/Summer 2027 collection.
"I'm so excited. I'm a little nervous. There's some amazing people in this room. I'm so happy to be a part of it. You know, my mom growing up really had a lot of Tory Burch shoes," said Eala at the sidelines of the red carpet.
"Sports and fashion are common in a way where you get to express yourself and you get to show your personality," she continued. "Sports is very physically demanding and fashion, maybe come back to me after this week and I'll know more about it. This is my first fashion week."
Also at the front row with Eala were Hollywood celebrities and models Amanda Seyfried and Lauryn Hill.
Eala's guesting in NYFW came on the heels of praises from British Anna Wintour, former editor of Vogue and a fashion icon, last month before her campaign in the US Open.
"We had the young Filipino star, you know, you could see even in such a young star how interested she is in fashion. How she wants to learn about it and follow it and I think it’s great," Wintour beamed at the time. "It's wonderful how sports and fashion have become this wonderful sort of marriage."
Last April, Eala also also graced the Laureus World Sports Award as a dazzling guest in Madrid, Spain.
Eala, who had a Round 3 stint in the US Open, guested on CBS Mornings this week after being featured on top US publications New York Times, Sports Illustrated, ESPN, Forbes, and The New Yorker among the few.
She's enjoying the most out of her US stop so far before resuming training for the Asian swing of the WTA Tour starting with the Singapore Open and the Achi-Nagoya Asian Games for Team Philippines.
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