ATP ventures into fashion apparel in collaboration with Palmes

Copenhagen-based apparel brand Palmes, which is rooted in tennis culture, has unveiled a collaboration with the Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP), as the governing body of men’s tennis ventures into fashion apparel.

The collection, launching ahead of the US Open taking place in Flushing Meadows, New York, offers a limited-edition capsule of tennis apparel and accessories, including T-shirts, polo tops, tennis shorts, caps and a tote bag, combining Palmes’ modern and accessible approach to tennis with ATP branding.

This collaboration forms part of a broader strategy from the ATP to elevate its cultural resonance through partnerships with forward-thinking brands, as it looks to enter the fashion and lifestyle space, building on its long-standing partnership with Lacoste, which outfits ATP staff and officials. Alongside fashion, the ATP is also investing in content, technology and licensing to elevate the fan experience.

Joan Carrera López, vice president of licensing and retail at the ATP, said in a statement: “Tennis and fashion have an iconic shared history. We’re proud to put the ATP brand – and some incredible products – into the hands of fans around the world.

“This is part of a bigger journey for us in the fashion and lifestyle space, and we’re energised to be collaborating on it with Palmes.”

The ATP + Palmes collection will debut on Palmes.co and at Palmes’ Copenhagen flagship store, alongside a brick-and-mortar launch at Gem Home in New York’s NoLita neighbourhood. The New York pop-up, running until August 24, will offer the collection alongside a curated display of archival tennis books and antiques.

This will be followed by a wider release globally from August 26 with retailers End, Fwrd, Ounass, Kapok, Care of Carl and Illum. Prices range from 70 to 115 pounds.

Commenting on the collaboration, Nikolaj Hansson, founder of Palmes, added: “I founded Palmes four years ago from a desire to bring a progressive feeling to tennis, expanding the appeal of the sport and its surrounding culture by blending my ideas around tennis and fashion with references to other creative disciplines, be it art, design, architecture or the like.

“Being tennis fanatics at heart, it is a dream come true to collaborate with an institution as iconic as ATP, presenting our shared love of tennis through a forward-thinking lens.”