French Open Fashion Review
WTA players are going to give all they’ve got to perform well at the 2016 French Open, leaving it to their clothing sponsors to make sure that comfort and style are not compromised during strenuous matches. Let’s hand over to Marija Zivlak of Women’s Tennis Blog and see the outfits ready to rock the world of sports fashion during the most prestigious tennis tournament on clay.
Last year adidas made noise with designer Yohji Yamamoto’s avant-garde styles and this year the standout collaboration is again bringing us a daring one-of-a-kind range. The Roland Garros 2016 collaboration between adidas Tennis and Y-3 has produced an eye-catching print, inspired by dazzle camouflage from the 40s and 50s.
Like @AnaIvanovic, everybody faces challenges growing up. It’s up to you to overcome them and #CreateYourMark pic.twitter.com/6Fyio0GXPO
— adidas tennis (@adidastennis) May 5, 2016
Ana Ivanovic, Angelique Kerber, Simona Halep and Kristina Mladenovic will all go for these zebra-like stripes, which evoke a sense of movement even when players are standing still between points.
For @KikiMladenovic, fear is just another opponent to beat. Free your game and #CreateYourMark pic.twitter.com/VveEr2Opdl
— adidas tennis (@adidastennis) April 30, 2016
Players can opt for the visually-striking adidas Roland Garros Y-3 On Court Dress or a dazzling combination of the adidas Roland Garros Y-3 Tank to be paired with a black skort featuring layered jacquard mesh overlay.
The adidas adizero Y-3 2016 Shoes are promising to deliver incredible resilience and energy return during intense rallies, providing ultimate traction, as well as the feeling of comfort.
Nike is honoring the tournament’s host country by clothing its players in a spectrum of blues, France’s signature color, with world number one Serena Williams sporting a light photo blue NikeCourt Premier Dress, which captivates with its modern take on a classic vibe. Dropped back hem, box pleats and mesh back panel ensure comfortable fit and captivating design.
Madison Keys‘blue outfitincludes the collared NikeCourt Premier Advantage Sleeveless Polo and the pleated NikeCourt Victory Skirt, which ensures photogenic movement and minimal distractions thanks to an inner ball short.
Caroline Wozniacki‘s planned adidas Summer Stella McCartney Tour Dress included all the fashion elements we’ve loved so much, like the figure-slimming frontal colorblock, T-shaped racerback, oval mesh inset at back and floral print, bringing all the features together with a nice lilac shade. Such a pity the Dane has withdrawn from Roland Garros!
The range also includes a variety of tops and bottoms, allowing for a number of stylish combinations, my favorite being Garbiñe Muguruza‘s combo that made my March’s best dressed list: the fresh yellow adidas Summer Stella McCartney Tour Tank and its matching adidas Summer Stella McCartney Tour Skirt with four rows of laser-cut hexagons.
Jelena Jankovic will choose from these four colorful dresses, part of Fila’s limited-edition Spring 2016 collection designed by Wimbledon 2013 champion Marion Bartoli. The Serb has already debuted the dotted “eye dress” at the Internazionali BNL d’Italia, becoming the top fashion talk of the tournament, and we can only look forward to seeing the rest of “Love Fila by Marion Bartoli” cooperation, especially the lavender dress with the Eiffel Tower print, inspired by the Frenchwoman’s hometown of Paris.
“I’m happy to wear something that’s different, you know. You can also go out of the comfort zone and the classic ones. I like the classic, you know, as well. But it’s also nice to sometimes have a changeup and just wear something that’s not really typical print for a tennis dress,” Jankovic said about the collection in Rome.
Other Fila athletes, most notably Karolina Pliskova and Yaroslava Shvedova, will sport the Gingham collection, celebrating the quintessential print with peacoat navy and white checks. Shvedova’s promotional image showcases the Fila Spring Gingham Racerback Tank, one of five available silhouettes of tops, and the Fila Spring Gingham Skirt, which exists in navy, gingham and white, and is designed to match all the shirts from the range.
Venus Williams prepared the EleVen Geo Swirl Dress for Roland Garros. The cut is highlighted by the narrow high neckline and thin white straps at waist for a figure-flattering effect.
Lacoste‘s WTA players, most notably Elena Vesnina and Dominika Cibulkova, will wear the Spring 2016 collection, including the above-shown Lacoste Spring Dress, specific for its quarter-zip entry at chest and keyhole cutout at center back, the Lacoste Spring Mesh Back Tank, a traditional design with mesh panels at upper back and underarms that provide breathability and visual interest, and the Lacoste Spring Contrast Tipped Skirt, a classic piece with stylish contrast binding.
Agnieszka Radwanska will wear a coral dress from Lotto’s limited-edition Lacy line, a feminine piece whose elegant lace takes on unique forms, bringing Paris runways to the courts without compromising comfort and performance. The new SS16 Stratosphere speed-oriented shoes will help Radwanska move confidently on clay, as the innovative technology provides optimal cushioning and responsiveness with every step.
Heather Watson will wear the New Balance Tournament Dress, which made my April’s best dressed list, as seen on Sorana Cirstea at the TEB BNP Paribas Istanbul Cup. Strappy racerback, “N” houndstooth burnout stretch mesh back panel and NB DRY technology ensure a good range of motion and comfortable performance with minimum sweat. The Brit will be competing in the New Balance 996v2, a lightweight performance tennis shoe made with PROBANK stability technology.
Thank you @lecoqsportif for letting me design and wear another jumpsuit at @rolandgarros this year #overalls #RG2016 pic.twitter.com/8N6R7npsr1
— Alizé Lim (@AlizeLim) May 17, 2016
Paris native Alizé Lim will try to make the second round of a Grand Slam for the first time, wearing a jumpsuit designed according to her guidelines. Another bold move by Le Coq Sportif!