Philip Morris and Virginia Slims "will be back on the road
with women's tennis next year" and have organized a tour "that
marries the greats of tennis with some 'legends' of music,"
according to Karen Benezra in this week's issue of BRANDWEEK. A
formal announcement is expected today, but BRANDWEEK reports that
the six-city "Legends" tour will feature weekend matches between
Martina Navratilova, Chris Evert, Billie Jean King, Tracy Austin
-- followed by concerts with Gladys Knight and Barbara Mandrell.
Karen Daragen of Philip Morris: "We've always celebrated the
successes of women through the ages. Here we're doing it with
women in sports and music" (BRANDWEEK, 11/21 issue).
DRESSING UP: Following the lead of Nike and Mary Pierce,
the tennis dress is once again "a smash hit" for the sports
fashion industry, according to the "Style" section in Sunday's
N.Y. TIMES. Nike, Ellese, Le Coq Sportiff, Love 40, Quantum, and
Tail "all have new dresses slated for the upcoming tennis
season." And, "unlike the old custom of wearing lacy panties
under dresses, the new undergarment of choice is fitted white
Lycra shorts, cut like those worn by track stars." Mark Mason,
president of the U.S. Tennis Retailers Association: "Dress sales
are up 100 percent for '94, and we expect another 100 percent
increase in '95" (Kristina Zimbalist, N.Y. TIMES, 11/20).
