With world’s top tennis players returning to the hard courts of Flushing Meadows intent on capturing the season’s final Grand Slam, NikeCourt is looking beyond the game for inspiration. A lone graffiti strip in a subway tunnel, illegal Flyposting campaigns covering plywood construction site walls, the fire escapes that spill down the face of side street buildings – the Fall 2019 NikeCourt NYC Collection takes design ques straight from the streets of the city. Mesh panels on the Advantage Polo and Challenger Top (above on rising star Frances Tiafoe) placed in high-heat areas to help players stay cool, create brick-like patterns inspired by graffiti over-spray and torn flypostings found on walls throughout the city. While the print on select colors of the Flex Ace shorts is inspired by the “quick fill” graffiti technique seen in every borough.
Rafael Nadal will take the court in a sleeveless AeroReact Rafa Top with an allover diamond texture that mimics the patter of NYC’s manhole covers (literally… straight from the streets). A tennis take on the classic bomber, the raglan sleeve Rafa Jacket features the same sweat-wicking effect as the on-court gear but the smooth satin-sateen fabric adds another dimension. The repeating diamond print on the liner matches his sleeveless top while the zig-zag pattern on the sleeves is an abstract version of the fire escapes that climb up the facades of side street buildings like invasive urban ivy.
The NikeCourt Fall 2019 New York City Collection launches August 19 on nike.com.
