The best luxury tennis brands to buy now

Times

19 hours ago

Tennis has long been associated with great fashion — look no further than the tennis whites on court or the stylish onlookers in the stands. Following Luca Guadagnino's tennis drama Challengers last year, 'tenniscore' also became a wider fashion movement.
While the film was an ode to the sportsmanship behind the game with preppy tennis uniforms and sweat bands, it was lead actress Zendaya's red carpet looks — most notably a pair of tennis-ball embellished heels from Loewe and a neon-green halterneck gown from Celia Kritharioti — that were possibly the most compelling elements of the film.
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The good news is that you don't need to be qualifying for Wimbledon — or even picking up a tennis ball — to join in. This season, luxury labels like Gucci and Tory Sport are paying tribute to tennis with preppy polos and box-fresh white plimsolls, leaning into the 1970s athleisure heyday with matching sets and zip-up tracksuits that work both on and off the court.
Keep scrolling to discover the luxury labels offering the best tennis and après-tennis looks of the summer.
Tory Sport, the sportswear line by Tory Burch launched in 2015, came as no surprise to those close to the American designer — a lifelong tennis enthusiast who captained the varsity team at her all-girls' school, no less. Burch believed that in the sportswear space, many brands were failing to create feminine styles that weren't garish or over the top. Women didn't just want pink polos or diamante trainers. While all Tory Sport collections are created with the modern woman in mind, they nod back to the retro aesthetic with 1970s-inspired tracksuits and traditional pleated games skirts. The tennis ensembles may seem too pretty to sweat in, but they are technically crafted and include seam-sealing, reflective piping and wind and water proofing. It's old-school style meets new-age tech.
£310, Tory Sport
£175, Tory Sport
Founded in 1933 by tennis player René Lacoste, the French sports company is deeply rooted in the racket sport. Known for its revolutionary tennis polo — a flexible, lightweight shirt crafted from 'petit piqué' cotton. The brand's first designs took inspiration from Lacoste's own experience on the court, as well as his nickname, the crocodile. This moniker led to the embroidered logo on the shirt that quickly became the brand's iconic emblem. Lacoste still specialises in tennis wear, while now also offering everything from golf attire and footwear to best-selling fragrances. You can expect a collection of crisp tennis whites, more traditional sweat-wicking vests, varsity-inspired quarter-zip sweatshirts, and all the sporty accessories you could ever need — including caps, sweatbands and ankle-high socks. Recently, Lacoste also collaborated with the French Open tennis tournament on a special Roland-Garros collection, creating fresh new designs in the classic white-and-green colorway as well as a vibrant pink and blue combination.
£90, Lacoste
£73.50, Lacoste
Despite being a luxury brand with a focus on high-quality cashmere, Brunello Cucinelli has deep links to tennis. He started his career in fashion not as a designer but by modelling for the tennis and skiwear brand Ellesse in his early twenties. With first-hand experience of sportswear brands, the Italian designer brought a practical edge into a collection of luxury tennis clothing that includes a capacious leather racket bag, a chic ball-collecting pouch and logo-embroidered towels. Alongside the sporty accessories there are luxe grey tracksuits crafted from cotton piqué as well as a £1,750 tennis dress complete with Solomeo's coat of arms — an ode to the Italian hamlet where all the products are made.
£810, Brunello Cucinelli at Net-a-Porter
£1,113, Brunello Cucinelli at Farfetch
Founded in 2013 by Jodhi Meares, The Upside started life as a yoga clothing brand, inspired by studios around the world — from NYC and Hawaii to Sydney. When travelling across the globe for her yoga practice, Meares saw a gap in the market for bright and bold sporty designs. She wanted to lead a revolution that made yoga clothes turn cool. Now thanks to her success, alongside the bestselling leggings and unitards, there's a whole 'court sports' section full of laidback lounge pants perfect for throwing on post tennis matches, as well as pleated tennis skirts with a vintage vibe and supportive sports bras for those more aggressive rallies.
£150, The Upside at Mytheresa
£130, The Upside at Mytheresa
Gucci's long-established love affair with tennis — and the sophisticated tennis whites and duffel bags that go with it — dates back to the late 1970s. In fact, the brand is often credited as one of the first luxury houses to merge the worlds of fashion and sport with the creation of its Gucci Tennis sneaker in 1977. As a tribute to the sport and the brand's heritage, this summer sees the launch of a new collection called Gucci Tennis, featuring styles for both men and women has been released alongside a plethora of accessories. The collection has been put to the test by Gucci global ambassador and Italian professional tennis player, Jannik Sinner. It's got plenty of tennis whites, crisp polos, pretty pleats and the brand's emblematic web stripe throughout.
£1,720, Gucci
£1,350, Gucci
While many luxury tennis clothing brands are mean to be worn on and around the courts, Casablanca — the label designed by French-Moroccan Charaf Tajer — takes sportswear-inspired silhouettes and reinvents them as luxury loungewear. In the place of lycra and netting you'll find the brand's summery terry cloth fabric. In lieu of running leggings expect silk separates, leisurewear-inspired silhouettes and crochet polos. There are still plenty of tennis whites on offer — they simply feel more relaxed. Think of it as chilled out country club vibes as opposed to the preppy world of Wimbledon. Tajer hopes the collection evokes the clay tennis courts and sunbaked terracotta of North Africa.
£190, Casablanca at Harvey Nichols
£170, Casablanca at Harvey Nichols
Given that husband and wife Lara and Ben Mead met when training for the London Marathon, it's hardly surprising that they went on to launch an activewear line together. A holiday they took to Santa Monica inspired them to create Varley in 2014. The brand blends Californian ease and London style with a performance-led approach, however its new arrivals feel particularly fashion-forward with knitted overshirts and scoop neck dresses. Tennis devotees will be pleased to see the latest line — the Club Collection — which is an elevated take on court dressing featuring sporty skorts and sweat-wicking tanks as well as varsity cardigans and the brand's sweet A-line tennis dress.
£105, Varley at Net-a-Porter
£105, Varley at Net-a-Porter
Despite the name, Alo Yoga isn't just for those who wish to take it low and slow on the mat. While the brand began in 2007 in Los Angeles to cater to the yogi boom of the Noughties, it was Alo Yoga's slinky running leggings that gained the most traction thanks to supermodels showing them off post-workout while grabbing a green juice in oversized shades. It didn't take long for the brand to become an athleisure status symbol. Alo Yoga's two signature fabrics include the lightweight airlift and sculpting airbrush which are both supportive and smoothing, and the brand's court sports section is a tribute to retro tennis styles with knitted jackets and sweater dresses fit for a Hampton's tennis club.
£98, Alo Yoga at Net-a-Porter
£120, Alo Yoga at Net-a-Porter
Having grown up in Canada with a love of streetwear brands, Emily Oberg set up the athleisure brand Sporty & Rich when she moved to the US in 2015. With its vintage sportswear aesthetic that takes inspiration from the Sloane Rangers of the 1980s (think Princess Diana in an oversized sweatshirt and cycling shorts combo), the brand started life as an Instagram moodboard and has since become an off-duty uniform for the super elite — hence the name. The collection is both prim and proper with crisp white tennis skirts but also features baggy varsity hoodies that have that effortlessly cool 'borrowed from the boys' feel. After sporty collaborations with Prince, Lacoste and Adidas, this summer the brand has announced a new partnership with the Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc. Expect logo adorned swimsuits, preppy polos and timeless tennis separates.
£170, Sporty & Rich at Net-a-Porter
£138, Sporty & Rich at Net-a-Porter
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