From the icy peaks of the Italian Alps to the glittering catwalks of Milan, Eileen Gu is redefining what it means to be a global icon. Just days after clinching her latest Olympic hardware—a gold medal in halfpipe and silvers in big air and slopestyle—at the 2026 Winter Games, the 22-year-old freestyle skiing sensation has seamlessly transitioned into her “other job.” Staying in Milan, the partial host city of the Olympics, Gu is diving headfirst into Fashion Week, where she’ll strut her stuff from February 24 to March 2. This isn’t just a side gig for her; it’s a bold statement of versatility, femininity, and unapologetic ambition in a world that often demands athletes stay in their lane.
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Eileen Gu Wins Gold for China at 2022 Winter Olympics
Picture this: mere hours after the Olympic flame dimmed on February 23, 2026, Gu traded her ski boots for stilettos. “It’s Fashion Week in Milan,” she told AFP with that signature blend of poise and excitement. “I have the other job, the other fashion thing. I’m really excited to just explore some other avenues, be creative, and explore my femininity through fashion, which is something I’ve always loved, and to kind of put that in juxtaposition with skiing and with sports.” Her words paint a vivid picture of duality— the raw power of hurtling down a halfpipe at breakneck speeds contrasted with the elegant grace of a runway model. And why not? Gu argues they “co-exist so beautifully,” and her life is proof.
This move comes on the heels of a whirlwind Olympic performance that solidified her status as the most decorated female freestyle skier in history. At Milano Cortina 2026, Gu didn’t just compete; she dominated. Starting with the women’s freeski big air final on February 16, she soared through the air with tricks that left judges and spectators breathless—a double cork 1620 that earned her a silver, adding to her already impressive tally. Then came slopestyle, where her fluid runs and innovative grabs netted another silver. But the crowning glory was the halfpipe on February 22, where she unleashed a flawless routine, including a cork 900 and switch 720, to claim gold. These medals bring her Olympic count to six: three golds and three silvers across two Games. Add in her record 20 World Cup victories, and you’re looking at a once-in-a-generation talent who’s rewriting the record books.
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Eileen Gu Ends Her Whirlwind Olympics With Gold | TIME
Yet, Gu’s journey to this pinnacle hasn’t been a smooth glide down the slopes. Born on September 3, 2003, in San Francisco, California, to a Chinese mother, Yan Gu—a former speed skater turned finance whiz—and an American father whose identity remains private, Eileen grew up immersed in a bicultural world. Her mother, who emigrated from China, instilled a love for skiing early on, taking young Eileen to the Tahoe slopes at age three. By eight, she was competing, and by her teens, she was a prodigy on the U.S. team. But in 2019, at just 15, Gu made the seismic decision to switch allegiances and represent China, her mother’s homeland. It was a choice driven by a desire to inspire millions of Chinese girls to embrace winter sports, a field historically underrepresented in the country. “The U.S. already has the representation,” she explained in a TIME interview. “I like building my own pond.”
This switch ignited a firestorm of controversy that has shadowed her ever since. In the U.S., where she was raised and still resides part-time, critics branded her a “traitor.” Conservative pundits, former athletes like NBA player Enes Kanter Freedom, and even some NFL figures have piled on, accusing her of chasing lucrative Chinese sponsorships while turning her back on the country that nurtured her talent. Reports of multi-million-dollar payments from Beijing’s sports bureau, accidentally leaked last year, fueled the flames—though her name was swiftly scrubbed from public records. Gu has faced death threats, robbery, and even physical assault on Stanford’s campus, where she’s a senior majoring in international relations. “I’ve felt like a punching bag,” she admitted during the Games, per USA Today. “People only have a problem with me doing it because they lump China into this monolithic entity, and they just hate China.”
The backlash intensified during the 2022 Beijing Olympics, her debut for China. There, she became the first action-sports athlete to win three medals in one Games: golds in big air and halfpipe, silver in slopestyle. Her performances were electric—landing a double cork 1620 in big air that no woman had attempted in competition before, all while draped in the Chinese flag. But off the slopes, questions swirled about her citizenship (she holds dual but competes as Chinese), her silence on China’s human rights issues, and whether money was the real motivator. Forbes estimates she earned $23.1 million in 2025 alone, mostly from endorsements with brands like Red Bull, Tiffany & Co., Louis Vuitton, and Chinese giants like Anta and Mengniu Dairy. Only $100,000 came from skiing prizes. Detractors point to this as evidence of opportunism, but Gu counters: “I’m glad that there’s enough money in the sport now for people to think that’s a consideration.” She insists her goal is empowerment: sparking a freestyle skiing boom in China, where the sport was virtually unknown.
Fast-forward to 2026, and the scrutiny hasn’t waned. During halfpipe qualifying in Italy, Gu openly addressed the political undercurrents. “So many athletes compete for a different country… People only have a problem with me because of China,” she said. Her resilience shines through, though. Despite injuries—a torn ACL in 2023 that sidelined her for months—and the pressure of balancing elite athletics with Stanford coursework (she took 2025 off to train), Gu arrived in Milan ready to conquer. Her suit bore Latin inscriptions: “Non Ducor, Duco” (I am not led, I lead) and “Veni, Vidi, Vici” (I came, I saw, I conquered). It’s a mantra that encapsulates her mindset. As she told Olympics.com after her halfpipe win: “I am the most gold medal-holding freeski athlete ever, male or female… A rising tide raises all boats.” She’s not just winning; she’s elevating the entire sport.
But Gu’s world extends far beyond the snow. Signed with IMG Models, she’s a fashion force, gracing covers of Chinese editions of Harper’s Bazaar, Elle, Cosmopolitan, GQ, and Vogue. She’s strutted for Fendi, Gucci, and Brunello Cucinelli, closed shows in Shanghai and Milan, and even posed for the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue. Her Met Gala appearance in 2022 turned heads, and she’s a founding member of the VS Collective. Fashion, for Gu, is more than glamour—it’s a canvas for self-expression. “Fashion keeps me in touch with my femininity,” she shared with Vogue. In a sport dominated by baggy pants and helmets, she revels in juxtaposing that with high heels and couture. At Milan Fashion Week 2023, her catwalk debut was a sensation, blending athletic poise with model elegance. Now, post-Olympics, she’s back, ready to collaborate with designers and perhaps even launch her own line someday.
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What makes Gu so captivating—and controversial—is her refusal to be boxed in. She’s a third-culture kid, fluent in Mandarin and English, listening to A$AP Rocky and B.B. King while executing gravity-defying flips. At Stanford, she’s delved into quantum physics and international relations, journaling to sharpen her mind and embracing neuroplasticity to control her thoughts. “There’s a lot we can learn from Eileen Gu’s mentality,” noted a Female Quotient post, highlighting her analytical approach to growth. She’s friends with icons like Caitlin Clark and Venus Williams, spotted at Paris Fashion Week flanked by stars. Yet, amid the sparkle, shadows linger. Critics question her support for China amid geopolitical tensions, and some call her “insufferable” or a “human rights abuse supporter.” Gu responds with grace: “People are entitled to their opinions.” She’s been physically assaulted at 15 over her choice, yet she persists, using her platform to advocate for women’s sports and cultural bridge-building.
Looking ahead, Gu’s trajectory is limitless. With the Olympics behind her, Fashion Week is just the start. She hints at more creative pursuits—perhaps acting, entrepreneurship, or even policy work given her studies. Shaun White, the snowboarding legend, calls her “a once-in-a-generation athlete with the whole package.” At 22, with a net worth nearing $50 million, she’s already a billionaire in influence. But beyond the medals and runways, Gu’s story stimulates the imagination: What if we all dared to defy expectations, blend worlds, and build our own ponds? In a divided era, she’s a reminder that excellence knows no borders, even if it courts storms along the way. As she steps onto the Milan catwalk, one thing is clear—Eileen Gu isn’t just participating; she’s owning the narrative, one daring leap at a time.
