Wimbledon taps into Tenniscore adding semi-formal clothing to its collection

The All England Lawn Tennis Club, home of the world's most famous tennis tournament, has unveiled its 2023 Wimbledon Retail Collection, which for the first time includes semi-formal attire designed to be worn to watch, as well as play, the sport.

Designed on-site at Wimbledon's home in London SW19, the new additions this year build on the previous success of the tennis and performance wear, athleisure and accessories collections.

The new smart-casual, or semi-formal, looks for both men and women include cotton chino trousers and shorts, Oxford shirting, lightweight cotton knitwear and striped shirt dresses. 

The addition of this capsule to the Collection comes as data reveals fans are curious about the Wimbledon dress code, with a 404% spike in ‘What to wear to Wimbledon’ and ‘Wimbledon dress code’ online searches recorded in the three weeks preceding the event last year. 

“We are continually looking to push the boundaries of this Collection, and moving beyond sportswear with the release of our semi-formal capsule is exciting new territory for us. The team has designed some very attractive pieces, inviting our guests to wear something from Wimbledon to Wimbledon for the first time – for me, that’s something really special,” said Wimbledon head of retail and merchandise David Hewitt.

Performance wear remains central to the collection with Wimbledon expecting to capitalise on the new 'Tenniscore' trend, which continues to dominate on and off the court. A number of sports and athleisure brands from Varley to The Upside have introduced 'court to club' tennis collections and this season, LVMH-owned luxury house Celine has also entered the space with a dedicated tennis line.

Pieces in the performance collection for Wimbledon this year include heritage-inspired block coloured tennis separates, which incorporate classic navy and white alongside the iconic Wimbledon green and purple palette. Alongside these are impactful seasonal prints such as the statement Spray Dye version in lime and steel, which is made from 84% recycled materials. 

New seasonal key pieces for this year include the W Varsity Bomber, a limited edition, traditional varsity jacket made from luxurious and hardwearing Melton wool, featuring an embroidered felted W patch, vegan leather detailing and smart cream and navy striped collar and cuffs. 

The collection is available to buy on site at Wimbledon and online at shop.wimbledon.com with prices ranging from £40 to £250.