For WWE wrestler Seth “Freakin'” Rollins’ historic tag team match with Cody Rhodes against Roman Reigns and The Rock on night one of WrestleMania 40, he walked down the ramp in a lavish, gold and black robe with a large blue flower on the right shoulder. The robe was right on brand with Rollins’ eccentric style that has been catching the eyes of fans for the last few years. For Troi Anthoni, the stylist behind the extravagent look, it was one of the biggest moments of his career.
Anthoni has been styling Rollins for the past three years, but night one of WrestleMania 40 was the first time he actually got to dress Rollins backstage before an event. It was a full circle moment for Anthoni as he’s been a wrestling fan since he was a child. It also showed him where his career can go.
“I’ve been watching wrestling since I was like five,” Anthoni tells Complex from his hotel room in Philadelphia, where Mania 40 took place. “So it’s like, did I make it? Is this the big moment that determines I’m here now?”
Anthoni’s late mother is responsible for his wrestling fandom. She would always turn on WWE when it was on TV. A match between The Undertaker and Ultimate Warrior is what really caught Anthoni’s attention. Thereafter, he began to observe the other wrestlers and their outfits that always stole the show like “Macho Man” Randy Savage and Ric Flair.
“I remember being five years old, and The Undertaker and Ultimate Warrior had a bodybag match,” says Anthoni. “Their outfits were so different. I’ve been hooked ever since.”
“The look” has always been a massive part of wrestling. The wardrobe helps wrestlers and managers bring their characters to life inside the squared circle. WWE’s first World Heavyweight Champion, Buddy Rodgers, revolutionized what a wrestler could look like with his flashy, flamboyant style and ushered in an unsung rule: the look is just as important as the skills in the ring.
From the ’60s to the ’90s, individuals like Billy Graham, Shawn Michaels, Miss Elizabeth, and Trish Stratus pushed that legacy forward in their own way. These days, wrestlers are still raising the bar when it comes to their in-ring appearance by wearing some of the freshest pairs of Air Jordans or rocking the hottest streetwear and luxury fashion brands like Off-White or Louis Vuitton. Anthoni’s clients, Seth Rollins and Becky Lynch, have been at the forefront of WWE’s style revolution.
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