Ilona Maher Owned the Red Carpet in a Plunging Neckline at the 2025 ESPYs
Olympian Ilona Maher served up a look at the 2025 ESPY Awards on July 16 in Los Angeles that had everyone talking!
The 28-year-old rugby star turned up the heat a few notches in a plunging black dress with artfully placed fabric to cover her breasts — she rocked a naked dress on that red carpet! The design wrapped around her toned body as she accessorized with a dramatic red lip and her hair slicked back in a high ponytail.
It was the perfect ensemble to win the Best Breakthrough Athlete award at the ESPYs. Her Instagram post showcasing her acceptance speech had the perfect caption. Maher wrote, “Take up space. Pitch it faster. Run harder. Put another plate on the bar. And NEVER tone it down.”
As she took the stage, she joked, “It’s taken me seven years and two Olympics, but I finally broke through. Amazing stuff.” Maher’s appealing sense of humor didn’t diminish her powerful message, though. She reminded her fans, “Strong is beautiful. Strong is powerful. Sexy is whatever you want it to be, and I hope more girls can feel how I feel.”
The Sports Illustrated Swimsuit model has proven time and again that she’s a role model when it comes to the body positivity movement. Growing up, she admitted that she was “called masculine or whatever” for her athletic body.
“But I never felt that way. But I don’t think you’re going to bully the girl who could probably beat you up in a rage,” Maher revealed in her August 2024 cover story with the sports outlet. “I love that [rugby] showed me what I can do. It showed me how capable my body is, and it’s not just like a tool to be looked at and objectified.”
The Olympic bronze medalist now has brands lining up to work with her, including TJ Maxx, Adidas, Paula’s Choice, and Secret. Maher is proving to be a powerful voice in beauty and fashion because her message is exactly on point.
Before you go, click here to see all of our favorite naked dresses of all time: