Key Highlights

• Michael Phelps discusses the evolution of mental health awareness in sports and its impact.
• Insights into Phelps’ partnership with Omega and his fashion sense for the Olympics.
• The influence of high-stakes competition on athletes’ mental health.

(NicePlay Sports) – Michael Phelps, the most decorated Olympian in history, offers a unique glimpse into his life beyond the pool, blending his experiences with fashion, mental health, and long-standing partnerships. As Phelps navigates through his post-competitive life, he continues to champion the cause of mental health awareness, an issue he has been vocal about since 2014. His insights highlight the importance of balancing mental and physical health, drawing from his own journey and the experiences of other athletes. Phelps’ collaboration with Omega, a partnership spanning two decades, allows him to explore his passion for watches and fashion, making him a fitting spokesperson for the iconic Olympic sponsor. This connection goes beyond the professional realm, evolving into what Phelps describes as a family-like bond. His appearance at the 2016 Olympic opening ceremony, a milestone in his career, offered a rare opportunity to lead Team USA and left an indelible mark on his memory. Phelps’ reflections on Olympic fashion, particularly the upcoming 2024 Games, reveal a keen eye for style and an appreciation for Ralph Lauren’s Americana-inspired designs. His enthusiasm for hats, especially his cherished USA Nike hat from 2016, underscores his attention to detail and personal style. As a self-described “massive shoe guy,” Phelps’ sneaker collection has grown exponentially, reflecting his deep-rooted fascination with fashion and accessories. In discussing mental health, Phelps emphasizes the progress made since he first opened up about his struggles. He acknowledges the significant impact of athletes like Simone Biles and Naomi Osaka, who have helped normalize conversations around mental health. Phelps’ commitment to sharing his message aims to break the stigma and encourage others to seek help, reinforcing the idea that true strength lies in addressing both mental and physical well-being. With his children playfully dubbing him “Aquaman,” Phelps embodies the balance of vulnerability and strength, striving to be a “superhero” in the eyes of his family and fans alike.

Michael Phelps: The Fashion Icon

Michael Phelps looks at ease. He’s sitting on a white leather sofa in the back of the newly opened Omega store in SoHo, New York, wearing a breezy, short-sleeve shirt and cropped trousers, giving off a very different vibe than he did during his Olympic competition days. His hair is tied back in a topknot. A beard covers his cheeks and chin. It’s kind of surfer-y, kind of hipster-y, and decidedly laid-back.

On his wrist, of course, is an Omega watch: the new black-dial Seamaster Aqua Terra. He’s one of the first to wear it, and “pretty pumped about it.” He had it in 38mm before his wife “adopted it.” But at 6’4”, Phelps says despite the trend towards smaller watches, he doesn’t tend to dip below the 41mm diameter he’s wearing today.

But we’re not just here to chat about watches. Phelps is the most decorated Olympian of all time, well-dressed, and a self-described “massive shoe guy”—which makes him a natural fit to talk about the fashion at the upcoming games in Paris. He’s also a longtime advocate for normalizing conversations around mental health in athletes, giving him a unique perspective on how this sort of high-stress competition can affect the folks on Team USA and beyond.

Read on for his insights on the “shiny stuff” that fashion fans get obsessed with, the best-dressed team at the Olympics, and how balancing mental and physical health can turn you into a “superhero.”

Collaborating with Omega

On working with Omega for 20 years:

“They’ve watched every single one of my Olympic medals that I’ve ever won and the timing system was Omega the whole entire time. Being able to be an ambassador for such an iconic Olympic sponsor is something that is a treat for me. Obviously, it started as a partnership, but I think it’s really transitioned into a family. I think for me, being able to work with Omega and being able to get so close to the people that I’ve known for so long, I’ve literally worked with the same faces almost my whole career. So it feels just more relaxed and we always have a good time.”

Memorable Olympic Moments

On his only opening ceremony appearance:

“I was unable to go to the opening ceremonies because I was always swimming one of the first few days. Standing on your feet for six to eight hours [for the ceremony] just didn’t seem like a smart choice. But since I didn’t have a large program in 2016, I had the opportunity to carry the flag. That was just a standout moment: being able to lead my team and my country into that Olympic Games. And we did it in such fashion that had never really been done before. Typically, you have a 10-foot buffer between the flag and the rest of your team, the rest of the delegation. But this time they surrounded me. Looking back, I think it just shows who we are as a country. When we go into that competition, we are as one, we wear those Stars and Stripes so proud. So that was a moment I’ll never forget.”

Fashion Insights for the 2024 Olympics

On Team USA’s 2024 look for the opening ceremony:

“I think it’s cool. I like the jeans, the jacket’s kind of fresh. It’s kind of Americana, red, white, and blue. I think Ralph has always done a great job.”

On the standout piece of Olympic gear he still has today:

“I’m a hat guy. So you’ll see me in a blue, USA Nike hat from ’16—and I won’t wear another USA hat. It’s my favorite USA hat. For the hat people out there, there’s nothing better than just a worn-in hat. So for me, this hat is just super special. I have it with me in the car. It always goes with me.”

Best-Dressed Teams and Personal Style

On the best-dressed team in the Games:

“I would say we are. I don’t want to mention countries, but some of them are—and I am not talking opening ceremonies, I’m just talking in general—some of them are just awful and they haven’t changed for 30 years. It’s the same colors, the same patterns. With us, obviously we’re all red, white, and blue, but the patterns, the USA logo size, and this, that, and the other change. I always like looking at how everything has changed over time.”

On shorts:

“I’m big into short shorts. I got tiny legs. I have a 30-inch inseam, so for me, I need five or six inch shorts because everything else feels like they pass my knees and I’m wearing capris.”

On his relatively recent sneakerhead status:

“I’m a massive shoe guy. I just got into shoes the last two years. There was a sponsor that I was with, and I couldn’t wear other shoes… Now, honestly, I probably have 150 to 200 pairs of Jordans and Nikes between golf shoes and lows, highs, mids, Ones, Threes, Fours, Nines, Elevens. Yeah, I’m a sneaker freak. My wife thinks I have a problem.”

Addressing Mental Health

On obsessing over watches and other small details:

“I like shiny stuff. It’s really easy to get obsessed. I want to match my shoes with a watch or a shirt, right? So it’s like always trying to find the right piece. Maybe it’s just how our mind works, right? It’s the small details that we just get obsessed with. That’s how I am, anyway.”

On the evolution of addressing mental health in athletes:

“When I opened up in 2014, there really wasn’t anybody talking about it, right? We just shoved it under the rug and pretended like everything was fine. For me, growing up, my parents always taught me to just put on a front and show that you’re just happy when you’re not. Well, that’s not real. So at that point I was like, ‘Screw this. I want to open up. I need to share just what I’m going through and if nobody likes it’s not my problem. I’m being who I am.’

Fast forward to Simone Biles and Naomi Osaka and Kevin Love and all of these other athletes, celebrities who truly have opened up and shared their stories, I feel like they’ve normalized it because all of our stories are our own, but they all have a lot of similarities. When you hear a stat that one in four people struggle with some kind of mental health issue, then how come one in four people aren’t talking about it? I feel like we’ve come a long way since the pandemic because I think loneliness struck into people’s lives more than it ever had before, and loneliness leads to depression. I feel the younger generations now aren’t afraid to open up and share exactly what they’re going through. I think we have made significant changes over the last 10 years from when I first opened up.”

Becoming a Superhero

On becoming “a superhero”:

“It’s important for me to continue sharing my message because I know that there are people who struggle just like I do. The more I can normalize it, the more it’ll be okay to ask for help. I thought I couldn’t ask for help because I was a male athlete and I couldn’t show that vulnerability because it would be showing a sign of weakness when in reality, I think if you’re able to pay attention to your mental and your physical health, you have the opportunity to become a superhero. My kids call me Aquaman, so it’s kind of the best of both worlds.”