Coming on the "heels of the all-white Wimbledon, tennis shoe and apparel manufacturers gear up for a chance to showcase all things spectacle at the U.S. Open," according to Tim Newcomb of SI.com. Nike for the first time will "unveil reflective material on footwear and outerwear," and adidas will offer designer Stella McCartney dresses and "powerfully-clean looks designed with help from Andy Murray." There will be some "international flair too, with the likes of Italy’s Lotto Sports attempting to place a colorful stamp on New York City." Expect to see players "switching outfits based on the time of the match." McCartney said that the "combination of day and night tennis allows her to develop colors that appear 'glamorous and feminine' in both lighting." McCartney has "created a 'modern vibe' that gives Caroline Wozniacki a multi-blue 'hero ink' dress, and Maria Kirilenko and Laura Robson a soft orange tank/skort combination." However, the adidas men’s line, "led by the close input" of Murray, "strays from McCartney’s designs into a new 'bold' aesthetic." adidas Head of Tennis Design Thomas Weege said of a Barricade design silhouette created specifically for Murray, "The work that has been done for him is very performance-driven and at the same time very sophisticated and clean." That design "represents one-third of all adidas tennis sales." While adidas "may have honed in on colors, textures and patterns, Nike’s design team focused on something altogether new for its shoes: reflective materials." Nike VP/Footwear Design Andrew Caine said that the new materials -- which also will "appear on warm-up jackets -- provide night energy and a 'disruptive' look resulting in an all-new tennis aesthetic." Lotto Sport Italia designer Andrea Tomat said, "New York is New York: young, dynamic, energetic. It naturally prompts for slightly more aggressive and unique solutions. We tend to dare more in New York" (SI.com, 8/23).
