Yahoo Sports Golden Goose Taps Four Tennis and Padel Champions as Brand Ambassadors
MILAN — Golden Goose is doubling down on its ties with sports by tapping four new athlete ambassadors, including its first female ones.
Tennis star Jasmine Paolini and padel champion Marta Ortega are both joining the Italian luxury brand’s roster of ambassadors, alongside tennis player Zizou Bergs and padel athlete Juan Lebrón.
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“Jasmine, Zizou, Marta and Juan embody everything we stand for and the communities we want to connect with. Family, passion, authenticity, positivity and success are values at the heart of sports and of Golden Goose,” said Golden Goose chief executive officer Silvio Campara. “We are honored to welcome these talented athletes to our family, where dreams are pursued with purpose, and every step reflects dedication and excellence,” he said.
The Italian Polish Paolini, who rose to the fourth spot in the 2024 global female tennis players’ ranking after landing in the finals at the French Open and Wimbledon tournaments, among other achievements, said that “as an Italian athlete, it’s an honor to represent Golden Goose, a brand I’ve long admired. Being part of this family feels incredible, and I’m proud to share the values of such an iconic Italian brand.”
Fellow tennis player Bergs is also new to the roster of Golden Goose ambassadors. The Belgian athlete, who competed in the Paris Olympics and advanced to the third round of the 2024 French Open, is also known for his charity and advocacy commitments in supporting Burundi’s young tennis players by providing dedicated gear, helping disabled athletes through the “Tous à Bord” association, underprivileged youth in Antwerp to pursue tennis and funding education for marginalized students. “I am honored to join Golden Goose in their mission to not only elevate racket sports but also to make a meaningful impact within communities,” Bergs said.
The pair is joined in the ambassador role by Ortega and Lebrón, two of Spain’s highest-ranked padel athletes. The former, a trained physician, was the youngest player to rank first in the 2019 global female ranking, while Lebrón, also the youngest to reach the first spot in the global ranking in 2020, maintained that position for three years until 2022.
“Partnering with a brand that has such a strong connection to padel is truly meaningful to me. I look forward to building something special together through this collaboration,” Ortega said. As reported, Golden Goose is due to open a branded padel pavilion in Milan this year.
“I’m truly honored by this partnership. We’ve already done incredible things together, and I look forward to what’s next, especially with the upcoming opening of the Padel Pavilion,” Lebrón said.
In their new role at Golden Goose, the athletes join the likes of skatera Keegan Palmer and Olympic bronze medalist and leader of the U.S. National Team Cory Juneau, as well as padel ace Arturo Coello and Chinese actor and singer Jackson Yee.
Golden Goose was established in 2000 and is best known for its successful Superstar sneakers and intentionally distressed styles. In 2020, the company was acquired by the private equity fund Permira from the Carlyle Europe Buyout fund.
Last year the company, which had revealed plans to go public, postponed its initial public offering “as a result of European market volatility.”
The luxury firm has championed a community-driven approach, for example hosting Haus of Dreamers all-encompassing cultural events in Paris, Los Angeles and most recently in Marghera, Italy, where the company is based.
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