Federer & Serena Push Fashion Boundaries at Wimbledon
If you have read this blog for any period of time, you know I appreciate the classic looks in tennis. I'm not a fan of the sleeveless shirts or the graphics that are better suited on a low-rider than a tennis shirt. And that's not to say I don't like fashion forward tennis apparel either.
But we need to talk about the outfits Roger Federer and Serena Williams wore today to kick off Wimbledon. Let's start with Federer.
He's the #1 player in the world, probably the best of all time. I appreciate he respects the tradition of Wimbledon. But does that mean he needs to look like Bill Tilden and Mr. Rogers' love child? The sweater makes him look like a prep schooler, not to mention its silly looking with the modern look of his regular apparel and headband.
His bag? Besides looking like a women's bag, its great...
On to Serena...
I like the look. And I like the coat. And I like both on her. But I just don't like the street clothes look on the tennis court. I didn't like her dominatrix boots, denim skirt and leather top a few years ago at the US Open. The same way I didn't like it when Agassi wore Levi's as warm up pants and denim shorts. I think where the line is for me is that you can be fashion forward all you want, but ultimately it needs to be within the tennis apparel family somehow.
Lacoste Stealth Collection Taking its Cues from Nike
I used to work in the footwear business. I understand that most shoe companies copy each other to one degree or another...there's only so much you can do with leather, rubber and mesh. So I wasn't surprised when I saw the Lacoste Stealth Collection at SneakerFiles and saw what to me looks a lot like the Nike Air Trainers that are set to be reissued this year. The Lacoste's likely don't have the tech, and are more fashion that function. And the colors aren't entirely the same, but they sure do look like they're from the same family.
Am I the only one seeing the resemblance? Let me know what you think.
Nike - The real winner of the men's French Open final
Nike, not to be outdone by its chief rival adidas, is outfitting the two men's finalists for the French Open. Both world #1 Roger Federer and world #2 Rafael Nadal are head-to-toe Nike guys.
Both companies are getting value for their sponsorship dollar this weekend for sure.
It wouldn't be a grand slam without the Nike/Sharapova fashion show. Here's her new dress - its very nice, clean lines, classic. We like it a lot. Looks like Sharapova was on a bender the night before this photo was taken, but we're not complaining...
If you liked the new/old Nike Air Trainers I posted about recently, you'll love these - Nike Air Tech Challenge II Limited Edition in White / Tart - Clay Blue - Granite. They're expected to release in June.
I wore the originals back in the 80's, they looked a little different and weren't the most durable, but they were super comfortable and I loved the look. The next gen of these came out in 2004 and retailed for $110. These will be at $80 (nice) and it has Johnny Mac's face embroider on the tongue.
Cool Hunting clued us in on this cool Nike t-shirt. It is double layered--Nike's high tech Dri-Fit is used on the inside to wick away sweat and odor and 100% organic cotton on the outside. The logo is "soft-hand inks" that will become softer and more comfortable with each washing. And it has a new cut provides a modified more comfortable fit. Good fit, cool materials, better technology...what could be better?
Recently, Southeast China was hit with a major earthquake, leaving many injured and killed. To help restoring the areas destroyed and help with the bills, the Fragment x Nike Tennis Classic Panda Pack will be auctioned off, with the proceeds helping victims due to the earthquake. No date has been announced yet.
Never to be outdone by rival adidas (see adidas Tournament Pack brings the tennis classics back!), we have a first look of the Nike Tennis Classic Pack - which includes Tennis Classics in gray, blue and "bordeaux" which is a fancy way to say "maroon." The kicks are suede and an outlined Swoosh without stitching. In addition, a small stamp from the designers, Fragment Design< is stamped on the back of the heel. So they aren't a direct parallel to the adidas classics really, we'd rather have seen them in the classic looks. No official release date yet.
Well, traditional advertising may be dead or dying, but Nike still sure knows how to make a TV ad that gets you itching to go workout, play or compete. Here's a new Nike ad for the Hong Kong market which shows Sharapova and Federer training.
During a trip to Nike's Portland headquarters in 1983, where an innovation group was sharing the latest training sneakers, the precocious McEnroe grabbed a racquetball shoe prototype with added ankle support from the bottom of a paper bag. "The guys were freaking out because this wasn't supposed to go to market," Perkins recalls. "It was an advanced concept, and suddenly he started wearing this shoe and immediately playing his tournament matches in it." McEnroe was never one for formality -- he once made a stir in the player's tearoom at Wimbledon by eating the traditional strawberries and cream without a spoon. As they say, if the shoe fits.
We're digging the "conservative and feminine look" that Serena Williams is sporting with this season's NIke threads. Nice colors, clean design, classic looks with understated detailing. And the bow on the shoulder really caps off the look.
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Federer & Serena Push Fashion Boundaries at Wimbledon
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