Wimbledon has just begun, but Nike is already courting controversy over the dress that it designed for its sponsored athletes.
The dress, called the “Premier Slam,” is standard Wimbledon white, but its loose fit has some players and fans complaining that it reveals too much.
Nike, which outfits at least 20 players in the main women’s draw, immediately attracted negative attention after players, like 2014 Wimbledon finalist Eugenie Bouchard, were seen wearing the new dress on the London practice courts.
Bouchard backed up the brand on Instagram, though, captioning a picture of her in the dress, “short & sweet.”
During qualifying rounds, Britain’s Katie Boulter used a headband as an impromptu belt to try to keep the dress in place.
The Daily Mail reported that shortly before the main draw kicked off on Monday, Nike athletes and their representatives received an email telling them to bring the dress to their Wimbledon pop-up shop for alterations.
Amidst reports that the dress was being recalled, Nike released a statement to Yahoo Style which read, “The product has not been recalled, and we often customize products and make alterations for athletes as they compete. We work closely with our athletes to provide them with product that helps them perform and feel their best on the court.”
Even with Nike’s quick fix, the outfit continued to stir controversy when players like Lucie Safarova and Donna Vekic sported it in their first-round matches.
At least one Nike athlete fully rebelled against the choice in her first-round match. World No. 63 Sabine Lisicki chose a top and skirt instead of the one-piece, telling reporters that she “didn’t feel comfortable showing that much.”
The dress, called the “Premier Slam,” is standard Wimbledon white, but its loose fit has some players and fans complaining that it reveals too much.
Nike, which outfits at least 20 players in the main women’s draw, immediately attracted negative attention after players, like 2014 Wimbledon finalist Eugenie Bouchard, were seen wearing the new dress on the London practice courts.
Bouchard backed up the brand on Instagram, though, captioning a picture of her in the dress, “short & sweet.”
During qualifying rounds, Britain’s Katie Boulter used a headband as an impromptu belt to try to keep the dress in place.
The Daily Mail reported that shortly before the main draw kicked off on Monday, Nike athletes and their representatives received an email telling them to bring the dress to their Wimbledon pop-up shop for alterations.
Amidst reports that the dress was being recalled, Nike released a statement to Yahoo Style which read, “The product has not been recalled, and we often customize products and make alterations for athletes as they compete. We work closely with our athletes to provide them with product that helps them perform and feel their best on the court.”
Even with Nike’s quick fix, the outfit continued to stir controversy when players like Lucie Safarova and Donna Vekic sported it in their first-round matches.
At least one Nike athlete fully rebelled against the choice in her first-round match. World No. 63 Sabine Lisicki chose a top and skirt instead of the one-piece, telling reporters that she “didn’t feel comfortable showing that much.”
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