One specific dress has been pinned on Muni He’s mood board since she was in high school.

It was featured in Roberto Cavalli’s 2003 spring/summer collection, a designer whose creative propensity for bold patterns and loud prints set his work apart from the conventional norms of standard fashion.

The garment’s structure was inspired by traditional qipao (CHEE-pow) gowns that are often worn in Chinese culture, but in contrast with the fitted style that’s classic in qipao design, the hem of this dress stops mid-thigh and ruffles outward, giving a typically rigid silhouette a girly flirtatiousness. That playfulness is further enhanced by the frock’s brightly saturated goldenrod hue and the rosy pink, gray blue and sage green foliage that adorn it.

Muni had been hunting for the dress for years, dutifully scouring the internet in hopes of one day adding the highly sought-after design to her personal collection as a two-decades-old relic of a fashion era gone by, one that the 26-year-old is fascinated by, but one that she was barely alive for.

But she never dreamed she would finally unearth her dream Roberto Cavalli during the middle of an LPGA Tour event.

“I found it online the week when we were in Boston, and I started negotiating with the seller,” Muni explained. “The funny thing is, we had a rain delay, so I couldn't finish my second round. I had to finish it in the morning at about 7:20 (a.m.). I was the only one who had putted out on number (18), so I waited for my group at number (1) tee, and I actually purchased the dress whilst I was waiting for them at 7:30 a.m. Then I went out and shot 5-under or something on that nine.”

Muni had her mother text a photo of the dress as soon as it arrived at her house, much too excited about her latest purchase to wait until she returned home to open the package. And when she first saw the pictures, Muni was a little concerned it might not fit her properly because it was initially crafted for the tall, slim stature of a runway model.

But those fears were ultimately assuaged as soon as she stepped into the garment, as Muni’s teenage obsession fit wound up fitting her like a glove.

She had photos taken in the dress by Singaporean photographer Zantz Han, posting those images on her Instagram channel on Oct. 6, much to the delight of her 1.2 million followers and her LPGA Tour counterparts, several of whom passed along adoring compliments in the comment section.

Courtesy of Muni He's Instagram

And while she is, of course, delighted to have that particular Roberto Cavalli now proudly hanging in her closet, Muni’s interest in fashion and style extends well beyond a singular dress.

Her mother often had “Sex and the City” on the television, and her sister – whom she credits as a “big inspiration” for this off-the-course passion – studied fashion design when Muni was growing up, so what people were wearing and why was common conversational fodder in the He family home, heavily influencing the taste that Muni has carried into adulthood.

The clothing trends of the late 1990s and early 2000s – some of which have made their way back into the lexicon of modern-day style – comprise much of what piques Muni’s fashion interest these days. Many designers during that time leveraged Asian culture when looking for inspiration, and it’s that element, as well as the obvious appeal of an athletic look and shape, that Muni gravitates toward the most, despite being a baby when several of those trends were first popular.

“I love a lot of the early 2000s Prada. I think that's always been kind of my vibe – a bit sporty and very clean silhouettes,” said Muni, who was born in 1999. “The late ‘90s Pradas are some of my favorites, like 1997 and 1996. They have some Chinese-inspired designs. And then 1999 is super cool because it's a bit sporty. Those are always my favorite collections.”

Muni has had many modeling opportunities over the years, doing ads for brands like Calvin Klein and appearing in Champion China magazine on a few different occasions. Her social media feed is filled with perfectly posed glamor shots in expertly curated outfits that, from head to toe, always showcase her personal flair, even the snapshots that come from her time spent on the golf course.

So really, a feature in Vogue Hong Kong is something that Muni shouldn’t have been surprised was coming. But when she got the call from the iconic fashion publication asking if she’d be interested in working with them for a story that would drop in August, Muni couldn’t have been more excited, jumping at the chance to add to her growing portfolio.

The photo shoot took place in London, and while she was a bit under the weather that day – a doctor was on-hand tending to her as needed – Muni savored every moment of the time she spent with the Vogue team, calling it one of the more “streamlined” experiences she has ever had when it comes to modeling.

Kaitlyn Lai then penned Muni’s story that ran on Aug. 11 on Vogue Hong Kong’s website entitled “Lily Muni He On Competition, Confidence And Life Beyond The Green.” The article was accompanied by several images of He donning various outfits styled by Foxla Chiu.

“In the fashion world, it's a pretty big deal to be in Vogue, so I was really honored to be a part of that,” Muni said, later continuing, “It was really cool getting to dress up and then seeing the outcomes of the photos. In total, he probably only took about 30 photos, which is not many. The photographer was just amazing. It was a very fun experience.”

In recent years, women’s professional golf, in particular, has seen an uptick in athletes being tapped to either appear in style publications or participate in fashion-centric events. Fifteen-time LPGA Tour Nelly Korda both attended the Met Gala and posed for Sports Illustrated Swimsuit in 2024, while LPGA Hall of Famer and Olympic gold medalist Lydia Ko was featured in Vogue Korea this past February.

Of course, Muni knows how to ebb and flow in and out of the mainstream depending upon the occasion, being a serious, pro golfer when she needs to be and then leaning into her social media stardom and modeling interests when the situation calls for it.

So, she hopes that when it comes to the blossoming future of the relationship between the sports and the fashion industries, these recent collaborative efforts trend upward, knowing that if athletes like herself continue to leverage these kinds of chances, the landscape of female sports can only benefit.

“Growing up, the lines between athletes and people who were featured in Vogue, it felt like it was very black and white,” Muni said. “It's really cool to see in recent years that line has totally been blurred, and how fashion and sports are combining, and a lot of these big fashion houses are seeing the potential in working with athletes or working with sports, sporting events.”

Muni He Talks Fashion, Vogue Hong Kong and the Roberto Cavalli Dress of Her Dreams

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