Sunita Kumar Nair's 'ACE' Traces Tennis-Fashion History from Lenglen to Gauff
Sunita Kumar Nair's book 'ACE: The Times & Style of Tennis' (Abrams) explores the deep interconnection between tennis and fashion, from Suzanne Lenglen's Patou-designed dress in 1919 to Coco Gauff's partnership with Miu Miu. Nair organizes the book thematically into three sections: The Classic, The Mavericks, and The Cool, covering designers like Ralph Lauren and Yohji Yamamoto, items like skirts and watches, and players including Andre Agassi, Naomi Osaka, and Rafael Nadal. She highlights how tennis whites historically signified class and how players like Serena Williams challenged dress codes, such as the banned Nike catsuit at the 2018 French Open. Nair notes that tennis serves as a 'catwalk' for brands, with players like Aryna Sabalenka carrying Gucci bags during matches. The book is available for pre-order and releases June 2.
Key facts
- Suzanne Lenglen wore a Patou-designed dress at the 1919 Wimbledon, breaking from garden party attire.
- Nair's book is divided into three sections: The Classic, The Mavericks, The Cool.
- Serena Williams' black Nike catsuit was banned at the 2018 French Open.
- Wimbledon still requires players to wear white.
- Andre Agassi wore spandex and rock-and-roll hair as a nonconformist.
- Coco Chanel had a corner for athleticwear at her Deauville boutique.
- Lacoste's alligator patch is globally recognized.
- ACE releases on June 2 from Abrams.
Entities
Artists
- Suzanne Lenglen
- Sunita Kumar Nair
- Elizabeth Ryan
- Coco Chanel
- Andre Agassi
- Naomi Osaka
- Rafael Nadal
- Serena Williams
- Venus Williams
- Coco Gauff
- Aryna Sabalenka
- Gabriela Sabatini
- Ralph Lauren
- Tory Burch
- Yohji Yamamoto
- Carolyn Bessette Kennedy
Institutions
- Abrams
- Vogue
- Miu Miu
- Gucci
- Nike
- Patou
- Lacoste
- Wimbledon
- French Open
Locations
- Deauville
- France