Ilona Maher’s Whiplash Minimalism at the 2025 ESPY Awards • CelebMafia

Never one to play it safe, Ilona Maher traded her rugby kit for a plunging black gown—equal parts athletic and audacious—at her ESPY debut in Hollywood.

Ilona Maher didn’t just attend the 2025 ESPY Awards—she arrived like a thesis on body confidence and red carpet disruption. On July 16, at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, the Olympic rugby star and viral TikTok sensation made her first ESPY appearance (and nomination) in a look that felt less like a dress and more like a dare.

The gown? A jet-black plunge piece that dipped past the belly button, skimmed the sides with unapologetic cutouts, and left the back entirely bare. No designer attribution has been confirmed at press time, but the silhouette spoke fluent “naked dressing”—a trend Maher has been championing since her Sports Illustrated Swimsuit debut and Miami Swim Week runway walk earlier this year.

She paired the look with strappy black heels, gold square hoop earrings, and a slicked-back updo that screamed “I came to win.” The red lip—her signature—punched through the monochrome like a rallying cry. Styled with restraint but worn with conviction, the ensemble felt like a masterclass in athletic femininity.

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