Wimbledon launches new clothing line because spectators 'unsure what to wear'

Spectators unsure about what to wear for this year's Championships can enjoy the club's new range, made yards from Centre Court

Wimbledon has launched its first range of "smart casual" clothes for spectators as it revealed many visitors are unsure what to wear to the Championships.

The All England Lawn Tennis Club said that the new "semi-formal" range, designed just yards from Centre Court, would allow all guests to wear something "from Wimbledon to Wimbledon" and "stylish options to wear, to watch, as well as play, tennis".

The range for men and women includes cotton chino trousers and shorts, Oxford shirts, knitwear and striped dresses, with prices starting at £40 and going all the way up to £250.

The club has also commissioned "Varsity-style pieces" which it said reflects "the preppy, collegiate style which has infiltrated wardrobes across the globe in the last year".

New seasonal pieces for this year include the W Varsity Bomber, a limited edition, traditional varsity jacket made from hardwearing Melton wool, featuring an embroidered felted W patch.

The small team of designers includes some who have previously worked for classic British brands and who have worked on a broad range of styles including "tenniscore", an emerging fashion based on the sport.

There is no official dress code for most visitors to Wimbledon, but management at SW19 found that there was confusion about what to wear to the Championships, which will run between July 3 and 16.

According to the club, in the three weeks leading up to the tournament, there was a 404 per cent spike in online searches on what to wear to the event compared to earlier in the year.

The new collection has been more than two years in the making and the club said the designs would have a "subtle nod to Wimbledon throughout the collection".

David Hewitt, the head of retail and merchandise at Wimbledon, said that the club was "continually looking to push the boundaries" and move beyond sportswear.

He said: "Our semi-formal capsule is exciting new territory for us. The team has designed some really attractive pieces, inviting our guests to wear something from Wimbledon to Wimbledon for the first time – for me, that's something really special."

Mr Hewitt said that "tennis has always been connected to fashion" and the team did sometimes take inspiration from stars of the game "both old and new".

"What is wonderful about the sport is the almost unconscious blending between competitor and spectator," he said.

"Every year, we watch and admire amazing fashion takes across both our grounds and on our courts. We are genuinely inspired by that combined look and feel and I hope the new additions reflect all of our experiences as much off court as on."

The club's purple and green towels and caps have become iconic, and Mr Hewitt said he hoped that the new range would become one of the styles of the summer.

"I like to think some of the items from this year's semi-formal range will become staples for other smart-casual occasions throughout summer too," he said.

"The branding is subtle and modern, simply featuring an embroidered tennis ball, so they’re certainly not Wimbledon-specific."

He added that he hoped the new collection would encourage those watching the world's most famous lawn tennis championship to dress smartly.

"Unless you’re lucky enough to be in the Royal Box, or actually walking out to compete on one of our courts, there is no official dress code for Wimbledon," said Mr Hewitt.

"But we are happy to encourage dressing smartly hence the new, semi-formal pieces for 2023. We’ve started it modestly, with just a handful of styles, but we will definitely be expanding for 2024 which, of course, is already well under way."