VMAN brings together Colin Kaepernick and Lucas Pinheiro Braathen for its October 2026 digital cover, finding common ground between two athletes who have challenged the expectations of their respective sports.
Photographed by Matthew Brookes and styled by Brian Meller, the pair wears Moncler’s Re/Icons 2026 collection, which revisits the brand’s evolution from alpine equipment to luxury fashion. The unexpected pairing connects two very different sporting careers through questions of identity and influence beyond competition.
Kaepernick & Braathen for VMAN
A decade after his historic 2016 NFL protest, Kaepernick discusses his forthcoming memoir, The Perilous Fight, and the experiences that shaped his activism. “Resilience and grit stand out because it is not going to be easy,” he tells interviewer Elyssa Goodman, drawing parallels between the demands of professional sports and the challenges of advocating for social change.
Braathen, who made history winning Olympic gold for Brazil after leaving Norway’s skiing establishment, reflects on the restrictions he faced over his clothing and cultural expression. “Freedom to be who you are is fundamental in order to be able to connect with people,” he explains. That conviction also informs The Luci Foundation, his initiative focused on creating opportunities and encouraging acceptance through sports.
Their stories find an unexpected parallel in Moncler’s own history. From the Karakorum jacket developed for the 1954 K2 expedition to the puffers adopted by Milan’s Paninari in the 1980s, the brand’s identity has expanded as its clothes have entered different worlds.
Re/Icons revisits those transformations, with Kaepernick wearing earth-toned layers and Braathen embracing voluminous down jackets that connect directly to his alpine background. The collection becomes a fitting wardrobe for two athletes whose public identities have grown beyond the sports that first made them famous.
