Ajla Tomljanovic presents the latest Original Penguin women’s tennis collection just in time for the 2024 Australian Open. In an interview with Forbes’ Tim Newcomb, who shared these images first, it was disclosed that the brand has its sights set on ongoing expansion within the tennis sphere.
Originally established in 1955 by Minneapolis-based Munsingwear and subsequently acquired by Perry Ellis, Original Penguin was initially dedicated solely to golf. Their entry into the realm of tennis commenced with the acquisition of Tomljanovic in 2022. The Australian tennis star had previously had apparel deals with Nike and K-Swiss.
The latest apparel curated for Melbourne boasts a blend of soft pink and lime hues. The brand’s focal point is their commitment to utilizing top-tier fabrics that enhance performance, coupled with fun prints and trendy designs. “The outfits are fabulous,” praised Oscar Feldenkreis, CEO of Perry Ellis International, referring to the new collection for the Australian Open. “They are fashion and happy colors.”
Earlier today, I delved into the apparent lull in women’s tennis fashion and concluded that this phase presents a substantial opportunity for a new company to step in and assert dominance, particularly as industry giants like Nike and Adidas have diminished in prevalence compared to their past influence. Interestingly, Feldenkreis highlighted this very point in his interview with Forbes:
“I do believe that in tennis, in general with the athletic brands that have supplied tennis over the years, it has been stale. That is why we are seeing new brands like us make it a bigger part of their growth strategy.”
In addition to Tomljanovic, Original Penguin has expanded its roster of WTA players to include Jodie Burrage, while on the men’s front, American Mackenzie McDonald proudly represents the brand. Good news is that the company has plans to invest in additional players.
MORE 2024 AUSTRALIAN OPEN TENNIS FASHION:
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- Details about new Nike Melbourne tennis shoes
- Asics Spring 2024 tennis collection
- Wozniacki, Pegula, Muchova present Adidas Melbourne apparel
- New Adidas tennis shoes in 2024, Melbourne edition
- Everything you need to know about New Balance x Australian Open collection and special-edition Coco Gauff‘s outfits
- Timea Babos shows Melbourne gear, announces apparel partnership with Yonex
- Sneak peek at Elena Rybakina‘s Yonex attire
- New Bidi Badu kits bring Melbourne’s nocturnal charm
- Elina Svitolina and baby Skai ace fashion in coordinated Adidas ensembles
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I have liked the styles Ajla has been wearing which reflect the golfing heritage. Not sure about this one though. Looks more like everything else.
CLT, the colors are perfect, IMO. The design is quite classic, but it’s cute. Ajla looks beautiful in it.