The Tamesis
Free People’s activewear brand FP Movement has signed American tennis player and world No. 15 Emma Navarro to its growing roster of Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) players. As the highest-ranked player and a rising star in the top 10, this is the loudest signal yet that the brand is investing heavily in tennis as a key investment in its overall growth.
“Tennis gives us this incredible platform for innovation, and that innovation trickles down to our other performance lines, like running or studio,” said Jack Reynolds, chief marketing officer at Free People. “Athletes help us grow our credibility and position us as a leader in women’s sports, and they really are the best product testers.”
Navarro previously signed with Fila, an Italian brand now headquartered in South Korea after being acquired by its Korean subsidiary in 2007. The move reflects a change in the tennis sponsorship landscape, with classic brands long associated with the professional tours such as Fila, Sergio Tacchini and Ellesse being replaced by younger sportswear brands such as FP Movement, Lululemon and Vuori. The new entrants offer athletes higher pay and greater creative control through customized looks to help athletes build their personal brands, according to agents familiar with the deal. For brands, these partnerships offer cultural relevance, direct access to consumers, and the chance to test performance products in one of the few individual sports that showcases personal style.
Photo: Courtesy of FP Sports
“It’s really exciting to work with a brand that allows me to add my own personal touch to it [the kits]”,” Navarro said during her first FP Movement shoot at the LTP Tennis Center in Charleston, where she grew up and still lives. “I’ll be wearing clothes that I designed myself — I’m really excited to put them on and feel like myself — and I’m excited for people to get a better sense of my style and personality through these clothes.” “
Along with the news, FP Movement is selling two new tennis styles that will match some of Navarro’s on-court looks: the Crossover suit, a periwinkle racerback tank top paired with a black skirt and decorative half-zip vest, which she will wear at the Australian Open; and the Comeback suit, a more classic white T-shirt and ruffled skirt with navy detailing.
As someone who spends most of her time in athleisure, Navarro said she already had a natural affinity for the brand when the conversation began. “I often wear this brand myself,” she said. “I think they do a really good job of making products that are functional and perform well but are also very cute and feminine.”
