Fashion has always had a shameless love affair with Centre Court. Phoebe Philo is rarely seen out of her classic green-edged Stan Smiths by Adidas, and brands like Alexander Wang and Jacquemus have dedicated past collections to the classic uniform.
What’s more, it’s as much a spectator’s sport as it is a player’s – which suits the style-set perfectly. There is no need to get your pristine whites dirty and what’s not to love about a game that has a dedicated court side dessert (strawberries and cream) and cocktail (Pimms)?
With a recent surge in “athleisure”, a trend focused on dressing down and sportswear-chic, plus with Wimbledon just around the corner; it has never felt more appropriate to reach for the tennis whites and perfect our court side manner.
Left: 3.1 Phillip Lim, right: Lacoste
The Berlin-based DJ – and perennially well-dressed – Maryama Luccioni confirms this, saying: “As soon as it is hot – all I want to do is wear a pleated white skirt and white ankle socks. Nothing else will do”. True to her Parisian roots, Luccioni cites Lacoste as the go-to. The French tennis brand – which had taken a stylistic detour of late – has gone back to its core message for SS16, heritage-inspired blue and red piping, and flag-printed polo dresses in their latest collection.
Elsewhere on the runways, fashion’s latest darling, Off-White, cleverly riffed on the classic white pleat. At 3.1 Phillip Lim, the models wore frilly polo tops and ice-white separates. If we weren’t convinced that tennis is the only game we are interested in, what other sports has its star player grinding at Beyoncé’s heel in her recent video for “Sorry”?
what’s not to love about a game that has a dedicated court side dessert and cocktail?
Adidas Stan Smith, image courtesy of Urban Outfitters
Both images: OFF-WHITE c/o VIRGIL ABLOH
Everyone knows that sportswear has little do with sport in the competitive sense of the word.
Ask the Expert
Osman Ahmed: fashion historian and journalist, gives us his take how the style-set fell in love with tennis:
“Everyone knows that sportswear has little do with sport in the competitive sense of the word. In the Twenties, it offered a chance for men and women to escape strict sartorial codes and embrace jerseys, soft knits, flannel and polo shirts – no one wants to be laced up in a wool suit in the summer. Tennis is one of those fabulously British colonial sports, like cricket or riding or golf, that are just as much about the look as the skill. It instantly evokes the smell of freshly mown grass and long minty drinks, as well as Suzanne Lenglen in her chic Jean Patou tennis whites. Today, the key is to subvert the waspiness (who in their right mind wants to look like Pippa Middleton?) and throw in something slightly vulgar, like ostentatious trainers with a pleated tennis skirt, or fluoro-neon knickers peeking out the back of a white dress.”
Left: OFF-WHITE c/o VIRGIL ABLOH, right: Lacoste