NEW YORK, May 23 — As the French Open gets underway, Nike has revealed its latest NikeCourt Paris collection.
For the new collection the Nike design team were inspired by the home of the French Open, the Roland Garros stadium in Paris, regarded by many as being one of the most sophisticated venues of its kind.
“The venue nods to the artistry, the more painterly side of tennis,” explains Abby Swancutt, Apparel Design Director for NikeCourt. “Despite the fact that they may get dirty, we want them to feel and look beautiful and powerful.”
Known for its vivid orange clay, Nike wanted to design the range in a colour that would allow players to stand out on court. After starting with a large selection of shades the team finally opted for a tight palette of bright blue hues which contrast against the venue’s backdrop.
An engineered knit has been chosen for the fabric, not only to boost athletes’ play with its high performance properties but also to boost the boldness of the colour.
“Not only does it provide anti-cling and breathability where the athletes need it, it takes the colour from something flat to three-dimensional,” says Swancutt.
Tennis stars who have chosen to wear Nike on court include Rafael Nadal, who will be wearing the NikeCourt AeroReact Rafa top, Flex Ace shorts and Air Zoom Cage 3 footwear as he competes for his 11th title in Paris, and Maria Sharapova, who will be competing for her third title in Paris in the NikeCourt Maria dress, Power short and Vapor X footwear.
The NikeCourt Paris Tennis collection is available now on nike.com and at select retailers. — AFP-Relaxnews
