Just as New York City’s biggest tennis event of the year was in full swing, Afterpay launched a limited edition collaboration through its Dropshop program, celebrating one of the sport’s most iconic (and best-dressed) players, the late Arthur Ashe. The collection debuted at 41 Division St. on September 5, during a private showcase inviting the city’s tennis community to view the items in person in a reimagined space. With a DJ set performed by Stonie Blue, a tennis ball wall providing photo opportunities and walkthrough clothing displays, the event gathered a fashionable crowd to celebrate the Arthur Ashe x Afterpay capsule.
Afterpay’s Dropshop levels the playing field of drop culture, providing millions of consumers immediate access to rising brands, independent creators and coveted releases during key moments of the calendar year, allowing shoppers the flexibility to pay over time. A namesake label known for creating funky, colorful replicas of tennis styles worn by the iconic tennis player of the same name, Arthur Ashe partnered with Afterpay to create a bespoke capsule reveling in the city’s tennis fever. The collection includes apparel pieces and on-the-go accessories aimed at practicing players and is exclusively available on the Afterpay app through the HBX website.
Stonie Blue set the crowd ablaze as guests mingled on Afterpay's Bondi Mint tennis court, fittingly sunbleached to resemble the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. Fashion novices and influencers gravitated to the dedicated tennis ball wall for photos showing off their highly curated fits while enjoying effervescent cocktails.
It could be the svelte, slim-fitting attire or simply a new wave of sports enthusiasts claiming space in environments that were, once in time, stuffy, inaccessible and, for many, intimidating, but tennis is making a comeback. The sport’s relationship with fashion continues to evolve as younger players enter the fore. Cue tenniscore: the sporty aesthetic that aims to cut the affluent air of sporting attire with clean-cut, minimalist street styles. During the event, notable fashion savants subverted traditional tennis ensembles with creative flair, dressed to the nines in designer labels. For the fashion girlies, parachute mini skirts, slinky midis and sporty bodycon dresses replaced familiar skorts and athleisure dresses, and, for the fellas, dapper shirt and pant ensembles inspired by Arthur Ashe’s distinctive design identity brought a classic yet youthful touch to the event. Others opted for edgy street styles intermixed with modern sportswear pieces, nodding to the collection's versatile appeal.
A proper send-off to summer, Afterpay’s event celebrated the Big Apple's growing tennis community and the legacy of Arthur Ashe, a fashion icon, a champion of civil rights and a paragon of sportsmanship on and off the court.
See highlights of the event in the galleries above. The Arthur Ashe x Afterpay collection is available to shop on the Afterpay app through the HBX website. Fans of the sport can purchase the collection via Dropshop on the Afterpay app.
Click here to view full gallery at Hypebeast
