After writing the leading fashion book about the deceased Carolyn Bessette-Kennedyauthor directed Sunita Kumar Nair her attention on tennis. The brand new book Ace: The Times & Style of Tennis examines sport as both an athletic pursuit and style phenomenon and dives deep into the world of tennis fashionboth on and off the track.
Ace contains thoughtful essays and interviews, in addition to wonderful photos. ‘It has that same beautiful, artistic look as CBKif you just like pictures and want to browse through them,” says Nair. “I really wanted it to also be easy on the eyes and celebrate movement – and hopefully you get that feeling when you see the players in motion.” However, the text is at least as interesting as the photos, with interviews with tennis players Coco Gauff, Jannik Sinner, Maria Sharapova, Björn Borg and others, in addition to designers, tennis fans and fashion insiders.
In an interview with Town & Country Nair tells why Ace the logical successor of CBK seemed, why luxury brands increasingly emerging tennis target and who she thinks is the most stylish tennis player of all time is.
How did you go from writing about Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy to writing about tennis?
They have so much in common, didn’t you know? (Laughs). There is indeed, in a very subversive way, on a cultural level it is about… Ace is of course about men and women, but Carolyn was a woman with a very high dress etiquette and she broke the rules with the way she chose to wear clothes from Yohji (Yamamoto) and (Ann) Demeulemeester and keep her aesthetic.
It was in a way the same theme when I went to Ace looked at all those men and women who just wanted to win and move their bodies, from the early 20th century, how they broke their own rules and found the right designers found to support them in their search for the ultimate sportswear. I told my girlfriend, ‘Oh, my next book is about tennis.’ And she laughed and said, “Oh my God, you’re so funny with your love for classic clothes and how you keep coming back to those basic parts of a wardrobe.” I think tennis does indeed have those classical elements.
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Carolyn Bessette-Kennedy, the subject of Nair’s first book.
I knew that after Carolyn (in CBK: Carolyn Bessette Kennedy: A Life in Fashion) didn’t want to portray another icon, because I really wanted to honor her and I just wanted to do something different, something that is another passion of mine.
Where did the idea come from to divide ‘Ace’ into classics, mavericks and cool types?
I have at CBK I used the same mindset, in that I noticed certain key elements when looking at all the players and their characters. It was obvious to me that the classics were the beginning. I have so much fashion books reads that are simply not interesting because they go all the way from the beginning to now. I want both readers who are not necessarily into fashion and serious fashion readers to find something in the book, just like with CBK. That’s why I organized it this way. The chapter ‘Cool‘ is a great continuation of the conversation about what tennis clothing could be or will be.
In ‘Ace’ you interview all kinds of different players such as Coco Gauff, Naomi Osaka and Ben Shelton. What surprised you most about their take on tennis fashion and fashion in general?
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Naomi Osaka warms up during the 2024 US Open.
Their guts. You need courage anyway athletebut then there is also that unwillingness – and I again draw a comparison with Carolyn – to hide who you really are and ensure that the clothes reflect you personality reflects and increases your freedom of movement.
I loved it Coco to hear her talk about her mother and grandmother as sources of inspiration, about clothes and about the kind of woman she wanted to become. And about how she looked up to Serena and how Serena the discourse of fashion uses and how important she has made fashion. It was just so beautiful. And Naomi (Osaka) of course had her own point of view and is a bit of a politician in a way with the topics she addresses, not only through her clothing, but also during her lectures. So there are a lot of nuances to it; it is not just about the clothing, but also about the women and men behind the clothing and the image they want to convey. I had a blast delving into it! I thought it was just going to be a hundred page photo book! And then I thought: oh no, this is really serious and this deserves the necessary attention.
Another interview I loved was with Lady Helen Taylor, daughter of the Duke of Kent. The Royal Family and Wimbledon go so well together!
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The Princess of Wales and Princess Charlotte at the Wimbledon men’s finals last summer.
They do indeed belong together, exactly. Like strawberries with whipped cream, they are almost inseparable… Lady Helen said it had a kind of magical attraction when the queen came by. Players from all over the world, when you hear them talk about Wimbledon, often say that that is the first Grand Slam they want to win. Even a young Andre Agassi or Boris Becker, they just say – Wimbledon, that is the goal. It is the castle of the Grand Slams; the beginning, the initiation of the sport. The fact that the royals being present confirms and supports it.
The family of the Duke of Kent is fascinating because it covers an incredible span of time, from his mother to himself, and now the Princess of Wales is patroness. So I loved hearing Lady Helen’s stories, and it’s from a child’s perspective too, so I wanted to include it. She knew that her parents were decent people and that they had to officiate the Wimbledon ceremonies. And then there’s that cute story about how she unwrapped candies in her mouth without distracting the players.
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The Duchess of Kent and Lady Helen Taylor at Wimbledon 1978.
It was such an exclusive world; when she talks about the royal box back then and what it is like now, so much has changed. It really was the royal box. It was meant for the royal family to sit and watch – now it’s very different. And then I hear about her mother… I remember watching Wimbledon and wondering what she would wear, because she always wore such fantastic outfits. It was truly a pleasure to look back on those memories. It was a fun and important part to do.
What do you think about all those luxury fashion brands now also entering the tennis world?
It’s somewhat funny because in the 1900s there were Jean Patou and Gabrielle Chaneland now brands are suddenly seeing the value in investing in these sports figures. Tennis is a non-contact sport. You see the players play for two to five hours. In general, everything remains quiet and clean – unless they roll over the gravel track.
There are enormous opportunities ahead to notice to support athletes and not only benefit from the star status that these athletes bring, but also the athletes themselves benefit because they can show who they are on the track. Over time it will become more and more of a stage. More and more brands will look at how they can offer tennis or sportswear lines in addition to their regular collection. I’m all for it. It’s going to be very interesting.
Jannik Sinner with a Gucci bag at a match.
Which brand do you hope will enter or return to the tennis world?
That’s a very good question! I would like something very structural, maybe something like that Alaïa or Totem. I think Mr. (Azzedine) Alaïa was so committed to movement, with his flowing designs and his jersey dresses. Not that he was necessarily a sports fan, but I think it would be very interesting to see that the fashion house might do some tailoring. I don’t know, just suggesting it! Or something contemporary like Toteme. These are brands that everyone is interested in. If they released sports or tennis collections, I think people would love to buy some of that.
There is plenty of debate in the tennis world about who is the best tennis player of all time, but who do you think is the most stylish tennis player of all time?
Lenglen poses in a one-piece pantsuit with a detachable skirt, circa 1933.
The most stylish of all time? I think we can honor that Suzanne Lenglen have to give. She was so tough. She was so provocative and daring and she really set the tone. She gave women freedom – and in fur coats, red lipstick and cognac, while she was also an incredible playboy. It was so inspiring to research her. I didn’t really recognize her place in the fashion world until I Ace wrote. So while there are already fantastic designs and more to come, I felt like she paved the way, and rightly so.
Emily Burack (she/her) is the Senior News Editor for Town & Country, where she covers entertainment, celebrities, the royals and a wide range of other topics. Before joining T&C, she was deputy editor-in-chief at Hey Alma, a Jewish culture site. Follow her @emburack on Twitter and Instagram.
