The evolution of tennis fashion: Where historical rule-breakers meet modern luxury icons.
Text by Emily Glass
Tennis and fashion have an extensive history, dating back to the 1800s. It’s safe to say tennis has evolved. From universal lawn dresses for women athletes to athletes expressing their individual style, while still adhering to tennis’ dress codes, this relationship is worth observing.
The first women’s Wimbledon winner, Maud Wilson wore an ankle-length corseted dress in 1884. It wasn’t until in the 1920s French designer, Jean Patou, designed a calf-length skirt for Susanne Lenglen where women’s tennis outfits allowed for movement. This was groundbreaking for its time. This loose outfit continued into the 1930s. At this time, women started wearing polo shirts, drop cinched waist dresses. Polo shirts were lightweight, breathable, and a cotton alternative. In addition, when the collar popped, it protected players from the sun. It wasn’t until the 1940s that women wore shorts in tennis matches. In the 1950s, cinched waists and decorative cardigans were the norm. Mauren Conolley helped to normalize this look. It’s significant to mention that in 1953, Mauren Connolly won all four Grand Slam tournaments that took place that year. The 1970s were defined by a period of women fighting for equal pay in tennis and women’s personalities being showcased in attire. Infamously, in 1973, designer Ted Tinling designed the iconic Billie Jean King’s Battle of the Sexes ensemble. Tinling wanted to make women’s garments appear classy, intending to emphasize the importance of women’s tennis tours. During the 1980s, Anne White made history wearing the first all-white tennis suit. This suit was adorned from her head to her toes. Ultimately, her match was postponed and she was forced to change clothing. Ultimately, Serena Williams made advances in tennis history from her first Grand Slam win in 1999 to a Cat Suit paired with a Harry Winston bracelet in 2002.
In the late 2010s, fashion and tennis made headlines when Serena Williams wore a Wakanda Inspired catsuit. French Tennis Federation president Bernard Guidecci banned this garment. Shortly after, Williams, Off-white, and Nike released a black tutu. She has a special connection with Off-White. The founder, Virgil Abloh, was a close friend. Virgil Abloh passed away in November 2021, but in February of 2022, Williams walked the runway in his honor at Paris Fashion Week. She paid her respects by posting “#VirgilForever” in her caption, along with photos in her Paris Fashion Week outfit of choice. She attended Paris Fashion week in 2024 too.
The 2024 film Challengers, starring Zendaya, Mike Faist, and Josh O’Connor influenced this sports style sensation in 2024 and 2025. It’s crucial to mention that JW Anderson was the costume designer for this film. At the beginning of the film, we are introduced to the characters and the early stages of their interaction for the first time. It’s evident from the Juicy Couture jumpsuit Tashi Duncan [Zendyaya], that it is the early 2000s. When the film flashes forward to 2019, Art Donaldson and Tashi are still together, and their style has most certainly evolved. The use of cashmere and silk in their outfits exemplifies Quiet Luxury. Additionally, Tashi wearing gold jewelry is significant to the couples’ wealth. The most iconic costume is Tashi’s shirt that says “I Told Ya”. The plot twist is when Patrick Zweig shows up to practice in Tashi’s shirt. The meaning of this shirt goes beyond a pivotal plot point. It is a reference to a shirt that John Fitzgerald Kennedy Jr wore in the 1990s. This is symbolically significant due to the exuberance of wealth that JFK Jr. possessed. This movie utilizes the shared clothing between the characters as a symbol for their associated relationships. Outside of the film, cast members were praised for their style choices. For example, for Challengers’ promotion in Rome, Zendaya was seen sporting a Loewe custom-designed dress, which featured a pleated mini skirt and tennis balls on the ends of the heels. At the time of the film’s debut and promotion was occurring, J.W Anderson was Creative Director for Loewe. In January 2025, J.W Anderson left Loewe and is now creative director for Christian Dior.
From 2024 to 2025, fashion and tennis have intertwined extensively and beyond the court, respectively. Recent collaborations span from Venus Williams and Barbie, Coco Gauff with Miu Miu, and New Balance. Also, Jannik Sinner and Gucci. It’s fair to assume that high fashion brands are looking for those who ace on and off the court, from fashion to sport, due to their ever-present influence. It’s simply knowing their target audience. However, when brands such as Barbie choose to include a tennis player, it positively grows the game. Collaborations help brands gain and reintroduce themselves to new audiences. It reminds consumers why they trust and/or why they love that brand in both scenarios. This year, the Grand Slam concluded the same week as New York Fashion Week began. It’s hard to imagine that this is a coincidence due to all the available evidence of tennis and fashion in the last year.
Tennis and fashion’s partnership creates conversation around self-expression from sport to streetwear. How one chooses to present themselves on the court has always been a matter of preference. It’s significant to mention those who pioneered tennis fashion and allowed for this trend to take place in the first place, from showstopping styles to swings.
Sources:
https://www.merchantoftennis.com/blogs/tennis-interest/a-history-womens-tennis-fashion?srsltid=AfmBOorZzmTgfln9aJ4LWiGeldZJX6XvpOJyJ_Cegl0fsRh2m34qzdJa
https://www.wtatennis.com/news/3916319/serena-williams-steps-out-at-paris-fashion-week
https://boardroom.tv/tennis-fashion-us-open-serena-williams-andre-agassi/
https://www.vogue.co.uk/article/zendaya-challengers-loewe-tennis-heels-law-roach
https://www.harpersbazaar.com/uk/culture/entertainment/a60657506/challengers-fashion/
https://www.vogue.co.uk/article/zendaya-challengers-loewe-tennis-heels-law-roach
https://jackriewe.substack.com/p/every-tennis-collab-in-2025-so-far