ZENDAYA and the return of tenniscore?

Lately on Tik Tok people have been critiquing the overuse of “_ core” when describing fashion. And to that I politely say “fuck off.” Agreed, we don’t need to tack ‘core’ on the end of every fleeting internet trend, but at the same time, we don’t have to put down creators who are having fun doing so. No one is forcing anyone to partake in these internet trends. With that being said, we’re starting out strong with our first trend: tenniscore. It would be wrong to me to talk about tennis and not mention the queen, Mrs. Deena Knight (also known as my mother). I have vivid memories of her driving us to school in her Lululemon sets and colorful tennis shoes. I remember coveting both her and my sister’s tennis uniforms. Physically, tennis was never the sport for me: I have poor hand-eye coordination, lack agility, and I’m generally athletically challenged. However, aesthetically, tennis is right up my alley.

So what exactly is tenniscore? It’s the perfect blend of when luxury meets leisure. From the affordable market to the luxury market, brands have gotten on board with the tennis trend. Just recently, Target released a limited edition line with the tennis brand Prince. For their Fall 2022 collection, Miu Miu hosted a tennis club donned with their infamous micro mini skirts and branded tennis balls at the West Side Tennis Club. To accomplish the tenniscore look it is essential to have a pleated skirt or a-line mini dress. If you’re looking for something a little more casual, opt for a polo or rugby shirt with either biker shorts, or prep it up with a chino short. Whichever style suits you best, just make sure you include your Wimbledon whites.

We can thank Challengers for the recent resurgence of tennis inspired fashion. The film centers around Tashi Duncan, a former prodigy turned coach, who, in order to overcome her husband’s losing streak, enters him into a challenger where he must face his ex-best friend and Tashi’s ex boyfriend. Although tenniscore is sure to be all over your TL in the weeks following the release Challengers, the fashion in the film isn’t exactly as preppy or luxurious. For the costume design, Loewe designer Jonathan Anderson highlights the importance of how branding makes a tennis player successful. For Tashi, at the height of her career she has a campaign with Adidas. When her husband, Art Donaldson (Mike Faist), reaches his stardom, he is seen only wearing Uniqlo (who happens to be a frequent collaborator with Anderson). However, outside of their sponsorships, the characters reads more normcore than tennicore. As teenagers, instead of wearing Ralph Lauren polos or pleated white skirts, they opt for oversized college t-shirts and athletic shorts. This is something I appreciate about the film’s costume design. Instead of making a caricature of a tennis player, Anderson shows what someone would truly wear while practicing the sport. This is similar to my feelings on the “balletcore” trend. I rarely went to my ballet classes in a tulle skirt and bow in my bun. Deglamorizing the wardrobe in this film shows how real and raw tennis can be outside of the paid sponsorships and all white uniforms.

Although the film itself doesn’t lean too heavily into the tenniscore aesthetic, that didn’t stop Zendaya, with the help of stylist Law Roach, from doing so. Every time Zendaya releases a new project, I look forward to her press looks more than the film (she says lightly). Since The Greatest Showman, Law and Zendaya have incorporated themes of the film into her press looks (so no she did not take a page out of Margot Robbie’s book WWD). Fresh off the heels of their desert/sci-fi inspired looks for Dune: Part Two, Law and Zendaya tapped even further into their method of dressing for Challengers. Some looks are more on the nose than others, incorporating tennis balls, rackets, and yellowish-green tones; while other looks pay homage to classic tennis uniforms.