- Key Points
- Fear of God Essentials Tennis Low
Essentials White Tennis Low Sneakers$240.00Buy Nowby Fear Of God
We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you. - Gucci Tennis 1977 High-Top
- NOAH Puma Star
- Palm Angels University Sneakers
- Tom Ford Warwick Sneakers
- Impact on Society
Key Points
-
Tennis is an integral part of the high-fashion luxury space.
-
Fashion's obsession with preppy collegiate wear is how tennis style rose to prominence.
-
The fashion industry's most prestigious houses, including Prada, Givenchy, Gucci, and Tom Ford, all design tennis sneakers.
Tennis is enjoying a renaissance moment, especially with stars like Coco Gauff and Naomi Osaka being thrust into the mainstream spotlight. The sport is absolutely everywhere. Even Netflix wants in on the action. In January 2023, the streaming giant debuted its docudrama Break Point, generating interest from an audience outside the sport's core fanbase. But at what point did tennis crossover into the prevailing pop-culture space? It's impossible to pinpoint a particular date or milestone, but seeing it penetrate the fashion and entertainment community simultaneously indicates something is in the air.
To say tennis is having a full-on fashion moment would be an understatement. The sport enjoys an enduring relationship with fashion, serving up tennis skirts, polos, and caps to the joy of many. Luxury design houses and underground streetwear brands are both taking notice and are paying homage to the sport in their unique ways. Fashion's obsession with the Ivy League college aesthetic is unmistakable. Look no further than Prada's collaboration with Gucci or the emergence of Palmes as proof. Nylon writer Jack Riewe says, "Tennis has always been about tradition and class. However, with the help of brands trying to make tennis style more accessible to everyone, it allows all to influence the future of tennis fashion."
Tennis' influence goes beyond clothing, though. The luxury sneaker market is taking on a new persona with how readily it embraces the sport's styling sensibilities. Some argue that tennis shoes are moving past basketball sneakers as the premier lifestyle shoe. Whether you agree with that or not, tennis shoes are here to stay.
Here is a look at some of the best luxury tennis shoes on the market.
Essentials White Tennis Low Sneakers
$240.00
by Fear Of God
Buy Now
We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.
Fear of God Essentials Tennis Low
by Fear Of God
Fear of God sits at the intersection of streetwear, sportswear, and high fashion. The label is among the very best at modernizing classic tropes. Fear of God's founder, Jerry Lorenzo, grew from designing concert merch to helming one of the industry's most sought-after labels. The Fear of God Essentials White Tennis Low Sneakers is a testament to that journey.
The shoe embodies all the qualities that make tennis sneakers a hit amongst fashion enthusiasts: a sleek silhouette that teams effortlessly with everything. It fronts a seasonless sensibility that works with today's staples, like those in the Fear of God Essentials Spring 2023 collection. Smooth calfskin leather forms the base with a traditional lace-up vamp and heel pull tabs rounding out the refined upper. Down low, a semi-translucent midsole and a treaded rubber outsole complement its sophisticated top half. Fear of God's Tennis sneakers would juxtapose just as nicely against a fitted suit as a T-shirt/denim jeans outfit.
© Sneaker Guru Testing Lab.
Gucci Tennis 1977 High-Top
Although it's rare, if ever, to see high-tops grace a pro tennis court, leave it up to Gucci to play by its own rules. However, if the subject in question is luxury sneakers, you will arrive at the prestigious label somewhere along the way. What Gucci does better than most is transform familiar favorites into something covetable by all. Look no further than its Tennis 1977 High-Top shoe as proof.
Gucci's infamous GG monogram wraps the exterior with green grosgrain trim, red webbing, and white overlays interrupting the textured canvas base. The upper sits atop an off-white rubber midsole featuring embossed emblems that run across the front. Lastly, Gucci places an embroidered "77" along the collar as an homage to its famed tennis lineup. Does the shoe look better with jersey shorts and polo tops or fitted trousers and a patterned blazer? That's for you to decide.
by Puma
NOAH Puma Star
NOAH is a champion of the American prepster aesthetic and has been since first opening its doors in 2006. Although the brand leans strongly towards clean sophistication, its deep-rooted sportswear foundation becomes evident in its partnership with Puma. Unlike other labels who feel the need to cash in on the budding fashion-sportswear merger, the NOAH Puma Star tennis shoe is an extension of its in-house language and comments on who they are as a brand.
© Sneaker Guru Testing Lab.
The shoe is a remake of Puma's Wimbledon from the late '70s, named after the sport's most prestigious tournament. Although the shoes never saw the light of day in the U.S., it has a familiar design sensibility that heritage sneakerheads would find endearing. The clean, buffed leather upper spotlights a perforated emblem outline and additional logos printed on the side and embossed at the heel. The bottom consists of a padded rubber midsole atop a treaded tonal outsole. Its nostalgic vintage appeal would style nicely with a leather jacket and light-wash jeans.
by Palm Angels
Palm Angels University Sneakers
One of the best ways to ensure an athletic shoe hits its mark with sportswear fans and fashion enthusiasts is to have a name like Palm Angels reimagine it. That is precisely what you get with this shoe. Despite drawing influence from California skate culture, the luxury label is at home applying its design eye toward tennis. Palm Angels' University Sneakers is the label's best foot forward in the tennis space.
© Sneaker Guru Testing Lab.
The shoes are reminiscent of the label's skate shoe predecessors but feature design cues central to the racquet sport, like a treaded sole and perforated toe box. The uppers highlight tonal overlays with name branding at the back sitting below Palm Angels' signature palm tree graphic. Given the label's ties to the streetwear community, the shoes make sense when worn with joggers, cargo pants, or board shorts.
by TOM FORD
Tom Ford Warwick Sneakers
None of the names on this list are as affiliated with refined elegance as Tom Ford. The label's quest is set to redefine the modern-day luxury experience, whether through clothing, bags, or shoes. Tom Ford may not immediately come to mind when thinking about high-level performance footwear. Still, its Warwick Sneakers are a worthy interpretation without straying too far from its core philosophies.
If monochromatic color palettes pique your interest, you'd be hard-pressed to find better than these low-cut gems. The textured full-grain leather base makes a great canvas for the perforated "T" motif on the sides, not to mention the embossed gold lettering on the tongue tab. Just below the streamlined core is a tonal midsole and a traction outsole. Talk about shoes that look great with a suit! Consider sporting these kicks to the office with dress slacks and a button-down shirt.
© Sneaker Guru Testing Lab.
Impact on Society
It's rare to see a sport crossover into mainstream style like tennis. Tennis’ arrival into conventional fashion circles is one thing, but to do the same with streetwear and luxury design is another thing altogether. When cultural collectives spread across various class systems and legitimize a trend simultaneously, you know its impact is being felt across society.
If you're not quite on the luxury tennis shoe wave just yet, and stylish basketball sneakers are more your thing, check out this info on the popular Air Jordan 36.
Subscribe to Sneaker Guru to catch up on more footwear fashion.
