The impact of tennis, however, had stayed away from the streets, even though this might be the sport that can be most intimately related to fashion. The image of tennis has always been associated to tradition, by having to dress in white as a sign of neatness, and it was only practised by people who were well-off. Tennis as a sport as well as its dress code were a social symbol, a declaration of status, and as such it had fixed and unmovable rules.
TENNIS, THE NEXT TREND
The origin of streetwear is connected to sports that have an important sociocultural element. Many will agree on the fact that streetwear was born from skate, not as a sport but more as a creator of trends that have ended up being accepted way beyond the skate world. Basketball is another sport that has been able to create a style that would end up blending together with skate to create streetwear, turning products into fashion items with a clear sports-related origin.
During the 19th and 20th centuries, tennis was an officially amateur sport in which economic rewards were prohibited, as the sport had to stay away from money. In the sixties a professional tennis circuit that wasn’t technically official started to become popular, and those tennis players that participated in professional tournaments couldn’t compete at the Grand Slam or the The Davis Cup were relegated to competing between each other. Tennis was divided between professional tournaments in which players would compete for prizes and earned money from sportswear brands, and other amateur tournaments in which the financial gain was looked at through a magnifying glass.
In 1968 a new era of tennis was born, new tournaments were open to competing between amateurs and professionals, they were called Open for this reason. With the arrival of sponsorships, tennis changed its style; sneakers with the name of Stan Smith, Arthur Ashe or Rod Laver, the elegant rebelliousness of Borg or the savage McEnroe, until reaching Andre Agassi, who turned tennis into a sport of neon colors and denim trousers.
Tennis was becoming revolutionary at the same time as it managed to maintain its traditions. Even Nike who dressed Agassi in black and salmon meticulously prepared white outfits to comply with the rules of some tournaments that were more tied to their old habits than others.
The true change in tennis’ style hasn’t reached the courts, but in the way in which it has started to permeate and blend with streetwear. At the beginning, Supreme or BAPE’s collaborations with Wilson seemed like more of an eccentricity than an example to follow. Palace stopped referencing that hooligan-like style that is so influential in tennis to launch a performance collection with adidas that was used in Wimbledon by Garbiñe Muguruza, Alexander Zverev and the winner of the tournament Angelique Kerber. Paterson, skater German Nieves’ brand, is closer to tennis than the skate itself. Nothing new, adidas reversioned MatchCourt for its skate line and Nike SB made the Supreme Court’s become Gino Iannucci’s favourite sneaker.
Hiroshi Fujiwara, like in many other things, was also the first in recognising tennis’ importance in streetwear, by launching with Nike Tennis Classic, Lauderdale, All Court or Trainer collaborations in special editions for each Grand Slam. At the US Open, Virgil Abloh designed the costumes and footwear for Serena Williams and other references to tennis later appeared in his Off White collection.
Pharrell Williams’s collaborations with adidas brazenly approach tennis and they rely on some classic models from the brand as well as new designs inspired by the world of the racquet. The next great bet by adidas is the new SC Premiere that reinvents tennis’ legacy with new textures.
A few seasons ago Jordan collaborated with Nike Court for a Zoom Vapor inspired by the Jordan III’s, an alliance between tennis and basketball that repeats itself now by joining Kyrie Irving and Nick Kyrgios together.
Tennis, from its most classic style to the times of Andre Agassi, has always behaved as a reference for fashion, but its influence has never been as significant to the streets as it is now.
