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Roger Federer. Wimbledon, 2009. Longest men’s swimming final in history; A five-set, 77-game thriller against Andy Roddick. But of great importance? His jacket.
Featuring an RF-monogrammed zip-up with gold piping, the jacket sports the number 15 – Federer’s record-breaking match-winning total – in pointed embroidery.
Was he arrogant? Had he quietly hidden it in his bag and taken it out? Or did a Nike representative give it to him before the trophy? Regardless, the jacket generated plenty of column inches, as did Federer’s outfit in that year’s tournament. Take the suit trousers with a military-inspired jacket – sort of like the All England Club’s Sergeant Pepper – with a tailored waistcoat underneath and only strip down to shorts when warm. Then there were the understated shirts, or the gold-accented trainers. This was the kind of aesthetic that Federer was known for.
Now, with news of her retirement last week, following Serena Williams’ announcement in August, tennis (and sports in general) has lost one of its main characters. Federer has had quite the sartorial journey. From a dodgy hairstyle (peroxide home dye job, messy top knot, greasy ponytail, and suit pants worn to the front), US Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour’s best friend. Federer is a frequent front-row attendee, Rolex ambassador, and designer. Oh, and According to LVMH boss Bernard Arnault, “the living God.”
It’s an unfortunate cliché with handsome men, but Federer credits his wife Mirka for his early fashion awakening, once telling GK: “I used to wear driving shoes, jeans and a practice shirt, and then Mirka would look like she found me.” And go, ‘Uh, are you sure about this look?’
“Then I started getting into it. I traveled more and went to different cities and met interesting people. The next thing you know, you look around yourself – maybe in Milan, in New York, wherever – and you notice that everyone is making a good effort.
Since then, Federer’s elegant, sophisticated style has been synonymous with his elegant one-handed backhand and balletic volleys off the court. Off the court, he loves turtlenecks; A smart, well-cut woolen coat with an old collar; A sweater draped over the shoulder; Double-breasted dresses. But he’s not afraid to mix it up with bombers, denim and leather jackets, gingham button-downs, colorful sneakers.
In 2018, he has a design involvement with Uniqlo, where he signed a 10-year deal worth $300 million, ending his long-standing relationship with Nike. Federer approached the Japanese brand, famous for its comfortable, flattering basics, and works closely with designer Christophe Lemaire, creative director at Uniqlo’s research and development center in Paris. And it has certain provisions (without yellow). Comfort is his number one priority, closely followed by efficiency.
Separately, Federer also has a shoe deal with Swiss brand On, a line rather ironically called – at least to a British audience – The Roger Collection. His signature shoe, The Roger Pro, which started life with a 3D scan of his own foot, sold out when it launched last year. Meanwhile, Roger’s Advantage model is Stan Smith’s low-end.
He has become an astute commentator on his past personal style and the sport as a whole. For example, he acknowledges the loose fit days of the past, and now actively embraces a stylish figure at the hearing, telling GQ magazine: “Was it crazy to wear an XL when I was 17? You like to think you’re big and clever. right now [players] Get stronger and leaner.
He (perhaps cheekily, but quite rightly) used Rafa Nadal’s tragic capri suit era as an example of how important it is to the image of the modern sports star. But Federer refuses to be harsh on his youth about the ponytail era: “It was all part of the evolution process.” Do I regret having long hair? No, I’m glad I got it and I’m glad I got rid of it again!”
He prides himself on his creative approach, including his stunning all-black ensemble at the US Open, which lends a brutal killer vibe to the evening sessions. Speaking to Nike – who fought for more than two years to reclaim the rights to the RF monogram – he told GQ magazine:
“We tried to push the envelope – sometimes too much. But it was good. These moments remain memorable, and I was willing to take chances. I tried to bring a little style to tennis.”
Sometimes he went too far. At least, according to Wimbledon officials, who banned his orange soles in 2013, they consider him a violation of the strict all-white dress policy. However, Williams has never been criticized in such a way (most memorably when he called the president of the French Tennis Federation, Roland Garros, disrespectful). Federer has never been accused of valuing style over substance, which perhaps reflects enduring double standards.
Although Federer has done more than anyone on the women’s side of the sport — along with Williams — to promote the modern aesthetic of tennis and bring athletes into the world of fashion, he is not the first.
Federer cites the V-neck sweater cardigans worn on Center Court by the likes of tennis champions René Lacoste and Fred Perry (who founded the eponymous brand in 1933 and 1952, respectively). In the year Susan Lenglen, the charismatic women’s world number one of the 1920s, had a tendency to go to court in beautiful hairdos. Arthur Ashe starred in Buddy Holly’s List, and Aviators as Fashions Change. And you could say Andre Agassi has developed a dubious “pirate chic.” However, in the men’s game in particular, Federer’s influence on his younger colleagues and the wider tennis field is undeniable.
Bulgarian actor and Vogue favorite Grigor Dimitrov dabbles in modeling. Flame-haired young gun Jannik Sinner has graced the covers of GQ and Icon magazines, and earlier this year announced a partnership with Gucci. Italian chiseled Matteo Berretini has a capsule collection with Hugo Boss. Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliasime looks especially good Dapper at last year’s Met Gala in New York. Even Andy Murray has a range of sportswear, AMC.
It is not inconceivable that Federer would go full-time into fashion after his retirement. First, he will play the finals in London this weekend. Last month, Williams wore a diamond-encrusted cap to her farewell at the US Open. The bar is set high. All eyes on Federer – and his jacket.
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