A History Of Tenniscore And Athleisure: Why Quiet Luxury Doesn’t Have To Be Exclusive Anymore
With Challengers already proving to be the movie of this season, Zendaya’s press tour looks were fated to be monumental - and just like her blonde debut, Law Roach also delivered, embellishing tennis apparel and sporty chic with a full red-carpet revival. Law combined red-carpet sophistication and old Hollywood glamour with a sporty prep, from Zendaya wearing custom Loewe tennis ball heels to a Thom Browne look embroidered with tennis rackets – and as a result, all things prep and sporty are now sitting centre court. So, are we all ready for a summer of crisp whites and pleated hems?
Zendaya wearing Thom Browne dress embroidered with tennis rackets
‘Tenniscore’ has become the latest style revival to hit the fashion market, with Instagram account Data, But Make It Fashion stating how the style has increased by 80% in popularity this spring. It's crisp colour palette with understated designs and high-quality tailoring are an ode to the polished sophistication and upper-class elegance that makes quiet luxury a popular style. But water it down and push it under the guise of vintage prep, and the exclusivity of this luxury charm can start to make its way onto everyone’s court.
But the history of tennis hasn’t always made room for adaptation. Early tennis fashions matched a certain level of snobbery that took place on and off the courts, with author Robert J. Lake of ‘A Social History of Tennis in Britain’ explaining how the white uniform “symbolises purity and virtue, reflecting the self-perceptions of the class from which tennis derived most of its players”. The colour was in light of how “the rich and fabulous never needed to get their hands – or their clothes – dirty, and had time on their hands to play at leisure” according to writer Anna Prendergast. You were either in or you were out, and the old-money off-court luxury lifestyle followed the same suit.
But the Golden Age of Tennis (1980s-2000s) saw players step away from the crisp collars and exclusivity of the previous years, breaking the rules and bringing style and glamour to the courtside, with players partnering with fresh, modern brands like Nike, Adidas and Fila to boost their courtside wardrobes.
Serena Williams infamously pioneered the courtside sporty chic takeover, from denim tennis skirts with studded sports bras to leopard print dresses and leather ensembles. She transcended the borders of tennis traditions, redefining a picket fence sport and letting those who weren’t identifying with its lifestyle the chance to get on board. And while breaking down the door also meant creating backlash from the official tennis federations, she allowed the exclusivity of the sport to run dry.
It was at a time when sportwear and athleisure was starting to be marketed as high-end, with icons of luxury living like Princess Diana rocking the cycling short and crew neck sweater - this new luxury lifestyle had a sporty prep to its name. And with tenniscore entering our wardrobes this season, luxury living is once again given a drilled back quality, appealing to those wanting to keep their high-class tastes more low-profile. It’s fresher, peppier, and ultimately less traditional – you can still adopt the look of the luxury lifestyle without having to dress like an upper echelon capitalist. Now, an A-line pleated skort can also nod to luxury living.
We’re seeing more luxury brands suiting their campaigns to an audience who desire a lifestyle that points to the finer things in life. It’s a gateway into luxury living, but it’s not so refined or high-end that it becomes too exclusive for the average buyer to look out of place.
Gucci, Miu Miu and Celine have all taken their campaigns courtside over recent years, with Italian tennis player and Gucci ambassador Jannik Sinner starring in their latest, wearing the iconic Gucci GG monogram duffel bag in reportage-style shots. Kate Spade has also released a tennis-inspired collection, with tennis racquet totes and tennis ball sandals that hold similarity to the custom Loewe heels worn by Zendaya on the Challengers press tour (Law Roach’s undeniable impact of course).
CELINE’s Summer 2023 tennis capsule campaign, shot in sunny Saint-Tropez.
And when it comes to streetwear, Charaf Tajer of Casablanca has shown his share of appreciation for the tenniscore revival, with his SS20 collection an imagination of his own Casablanca Tennis Club, complete with retro logo. It’s another example of the perfect cocktail of high-end elegance with classic sportwear, as he goes on to say “What I love about it is that it combines streetwear with a certain elegance. Tennis played a big part in that aesthetic and inspired my tastes and Casablanca as a brand”.
Tenniscore is no stranger to a high-end lifestyle, but when you break down the sport’s exclusivity and combine its taste of elegance with the prep of sportwear, this timeless style can be put back on everyone’s radar.
