Reliving an Elite Rivalry – Diadora B.Elite trainer

Words by Keanu Adorable

Italian footwear brand Diadora is a renowned brand when it comes to tennis gear, and tennis legend Bjorn Borg is the brand’s most iconic figurehead. Diadora is famed for being the brand of choice of Bjorn Borg dating back to 1981, Diadora designed the B.Elite (the B stands for Borg) silhouette for Bjorn and is one of the most celebrated tennis shoes ever made.
With the release of the movie Borg vs McEnroe hitting the big screen later this month on the 22nd, it seems only fitting that the iconic B.Elite style, instrumental within the sporting history of that decade is enjoying a resurgence amongst sports fans and hipsters alike. known for his on-court outbursts, LaBeouf’s depiction of former World No. 1 tennis player John Mcenroe, is not to be missed. The actor even made a comparison stating that both him and McEnroe are “passionate, perfectionist, narcissistic.”  The plot follows the pair’s iconic battles in the tennis court throughout the ’70s and ’80s, which eventually culminated in the 1980 Wimbledon Men’s Singles final — a match viewed by some as the greatest ever. McEnroe’s legendary “You can not be serious!” rant occurred the following year in a match at the same tournament. Watch the trailer below:

The B.Elite shoes are available in various designs and colours for both men and women, to browse the collection on line click here.

Upgrade Your Wardrobe For Autumn/Winter – 6 of the best Tennis Sweaters

Words by Keanu Adorable

Even though most of us are basking in the sunlight this summer, the autumn leaves and winter breeze is just around the corner, and it’s time of that year again to start layering up to battle the ruthless weather – which is a perfect excuse to go treat yourself to acquire new garments. Why not upgrade your current wardrobe with a brand new sweater?  but not just any sweater, tennis sweaters.

Here at Clothes Make The Man, we love it when preppy menswear classics get a modern twist with its silhouette. These items lose its blandness, and sometimes outdated roots which give the wearer an updated yet smart look, thanks to their face-framing and shoulder-broadening diagonal collar stripes. These bold V-neck knits look just as good over jeans and a tee as they do when layered with your favourite suit or slim chinos. Even if you don’t play tennis, you can still feel like Roger Federer no matter how bad your backhand is. Here are our top 6 picks for you to check out.

Orley Wide Trim V-Neck

Gucci Webbing-Trimmed Wool Sweater

Wimbledon Ralph Lauren V-Neck Sweatshirt

Wimbledon Ralph Lauren Sweater

Dries Van Noten Contrast-Tipped Merino Wool Sweater

Dries Van Noten Sweater

 

Menswear to Serve – Sports Inspired Collections

WORDS BY CHARLIE BRITTON

The fashion industry has seen quite the rise in sportswear inspired garments in recent years with mega-trends such as ‘sports luxe’ and ‘Ath-leisure’ saturating the market. This sartorial mash-up of class and comfort expels the ‘fashion rule book’ as there simply are no boundaries. This summer really is no exception as brands release sportswear inspired collections, fit for occasion on and off the pitch and what a better time then just-in-time for good old Wimbledon.

Kent and Curwen

Creative director Daniel Kearns has clearly been quite busy in recent months. Working closely along side business partner and brand ambassador and the man himself, David Beckham, Kent and Curwen has produced a well liked and received SS18 collection, increased their brand awareness across the menswear fashion and retail scene and grown the brand’s strength from ageing and uncreative to well designed, expertly crafted and sought after.

Kent and Curwen

Creative Director Daniel Kearns and David Beckham

As seen from the interesting presentation that received a well deserved mention in our top LFWM collections which you can see here, Kent and Curwen has focused on a ‘teams’ inspired collection. Bringing in design and detail from different sporting events such as tennis and cricket, the collection has created a nostalgic and very British aura, something rather refreshing and good to see on the menswear scene.

Kent and Curwen

 

Although this is next Spring/Summers collection, Kent and Curwen’s current SS17 collection is still the perfect choice for today’s modern sportsman. From knitted striped tees to cotton cricket jumpers, the collection is bursting with British heritage and sportsmanship. What’s more, the collection is currently on sale, so make sure you check it out before its gone!

kent and curwen

Australian L’Alpina

A name often associated with sports, Australian L’Alpina was founded in 1946 and quickly became a recognisable player on the tennis scene.  The unique kangaroo motif may well be one of the more recognisable of heritage brand logos too and has continued to grow in popularity, both on and off the court.

This year, L’Alpina has teamed up with former British David Cup winner, James Ward, as the brand ambassador for this spring summer season. As James Ward steps back into the tennis scene, he has lead the latest collection of contemporary and timeless tennis garments perfect for a game on the grass or a drink at the pub.

Logo embroidered polo shirts with contrasting sleeves and heritage inspired track tops make up most of the collection, with L’Alpina sticking to their traditional style of design as they always have done best. Wearable for sporting occasions and causal occasions alike, this Summer17 collection defines Italian sportswear without the ridiculous price tag. The full Italian contemporary collection is available now on Australian L’Alpina.

Australian L'Alpina

Australian L'Alpina

Ellesse

Now a household name for the younger and older generation, Ellesse was started in 1959 and took pride in it’s Italian sportswear roots as it still very much does to this day. Initially starting with ski-wear, Ellesse quickly became an important name in the sporting world as it went on to sponsor the likes of Ferrari F1 and the New York marathon in the 1980’s.

Taking inspiration from Wimbledon itself, Ellesse has launched a tennis collection for men, with each garment appropriately named after a famous tennis sporting figure. The colourways of navy, blue and white keep the collection contemporary and up to date, whilst the Ellesse red and yellow logo stands out to create a nice finishing detail. At an extremely affordable price too, this is the perfect range to keep you on top of your game this summer, available now on Ellesse.

ellesse tennis collection