It was Roger Federer who first described the Australian Open as the “happy slam” back in 2007 and nearly 20 years later, it’s an association that’s stuck, shading everything from the attitude of players on court to what people wear in the stands.
When discussing the distinct style of the AO, for instance, Tennis Australia chief commercial officer Cedric Cornelis, says that reputation can pose a challenge for fashion brands who partner with the AO.
“It’s a big ask because it’s a combination of playful and premium,” Cornelis explains. “We’re trying to constantly satisfy that wide spectrum of needs, and that’s where a partner like Boss gets us into fashion and helps us elevate.”
Certainly, if the new uniforms are anything to go by, the Australian Open means serious business about levelling up their fashion game.
Officially unveiled today, the uniform that will be worn by 4000 staff across the two-week event in 2027 is refined, functional and elegant.
“What Tennis Australia has done in the past five to 10 years is really make it more than just tennis,” says Matthew Keighran, managing director of Boss south-east Asia and the Pacific.
The German company has similar ambitions:“Of course, we’re very much in the fashion business, but we like to consider ourselves a lifestyle brand.”
This isn’t its first foray into sports – Boss enjoyed a 15-year-long relationship with the Davis Cup, partnered with the Aston Martin Aramco Formula 1 team in 2022 and currently counts tennis players Taylor Fritz and Matteo Berrettini as ambassadors – but it could become their most influential.
Boss follows Ralph Lauren as the official lifestyle outfitter, who led the dressing from 2020 and 2026, and tapped into its Americana lineage to build a visual world at the Open that was big on preppy style.
Known for sleek tailoring and suiting expertise, Boss couldn’t be more different. Its Australian Open uniforms boast a minimal, sleek design and muted colour palette of beige, navy and grey with a tasteful flash of blue accents.
“It’s an opportunity for us to show a new way forward, and that’s perhaps using our expertise in performance fabrics, but also showing it in a way that’s like modern tailoring,” says Keighran of the uniform collection, which ranges from more casual looks including a polo, pleated performance skort, windbreaker jacket, and a navy pinstripe suit.
It’s likely to be a winning formula with staff and spectators alike, according to stylist and KIIS Melbourne breakfast host Elliot Garnaut.
“I love the simplicity, I can actually see it being worn away from the courts and looking very chic,” Garnaut says. “Less has genuinely been more.”
The partnership will also include promotions at the tournament, including a two-storey retail space and on-court hospitality suite. “Think of it like an Australian beach house, with a little bit of a European touch,” teases Keighran.
“It’s a great opportunity to showcase the brand in its entirety, but also an opportunity to show our take on what tennis could be.”
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