As Wimbledon nears, Fashion Journalism student Bridget Devine serves up some tennis fashion.
In the wake of Luca Guadagnino’s tennis blockbuster ‘Challengers’ and the growing talk of Wimbledon just around the corner, tennis is officially fashion’s new favourite sport. The sunshine, strawberries and champagne attract a glamorous, star-studded crowd to the Wimbledon courts every year and this year it’s likely the fashion crowd will be there too.
For the movie ‘Challengers’ Jonathan Anderson, Creative Director of Loewe was in charge of costume while Law Roach was Zendaya’s stylist for the movie’s promotional tour. Her looks were tennis coded in every way, evening gowns adorned with tennis racket prints and pleated mini skirts were centre stage.
Meanwhile tennis players such as Venus Williams and Novack Djokovic starred in Lacoste’s new 2024 campaign wearing their signature polo shirts and trainers.
Tennis wasn’t always this glamorous and we’ve got Suzanne Lenglen to thank for that. She was the first tennis player to win eight grand slam singles and was known for her radical style on the court, bringing together the two worlds of fashion and tennis.
She was famous for wearing mid-length pleated skirts while she also wore ‘pastel-coloured cardigans during the pre-match warm-up, as well as white unisex canvas sneakers and her signature headband, often adorned with a diamond pin’ according to the BBC. So the question is, how can we incorporate tennis chic into our style this summer?
Pastels, prints and pleats are in, thanks to tennis fashion icons like Suzanne Lenglen and Zendaya. Suzanne in particular was fond of a drop waist pleated dress which is now a dress style offered by lots of high street brands such as Zara and Urban Outfitters for everyday summer wear.
Meanwhile lots of activewear brands are offering versions of these pleated dresses that can be worn both on the court and on the street. Lululemon and Alo Yoga both offer pleated skirts and dresses in white, lilac and pastel green. If you are looking for a less sporty version that could be worn out for lunch, take a look at Tory Burch sport collection that has plenty of tennis styles.
Meanwhile for the men, Lacoste is the place to shop. Their new 2024 campaign featured a collaboration with Novack Djokovic, producing signature polo shirts and matching shorts that could be styled on and off the court. There’s a range of colours but the most on trend is the pastel blue shirt and the classic white Lacoste polo with the signature crocodile logo.
Make sure to think about accessories too, specifically headbands which are a great choice for both men and women to keep hair out of the way and add a chic layer to the look. I would recommend Nike or Alo Yoga for headbands which can be worn to play tennis or as a part of an everyday sportswear inspired look.
If you want to really pay homage to Suzanne Lenglen though, style it with a pin of some kind to level up the glamour. Enjoy the tennis season and remember to wear three things; pastels, prints and pleats.
Below are some recommendations of what to shop and where…
