There has long been a close connection between the fashion industry and tennis. Whether it’s René Lacoste introducing the crocodile logo emblazoned lightweight collared cotton shirts (or polo shirts to me and you) in 1933, or Fred Perry inventing the sweatband and his own range of polo shirts, or even the iconic Adidas Stan Smith trainer, there’s a one hundred year history of collaboration.
Now tennis ace Roger Federer has launched a unisex tennis shoe made from vegan leather. Often considered to be the greatest player of all time, Federer has collaborated with Swiss running shoe brand On to create ‘The Roger’ which combines his minimalistic style with On’s technical performance.
In 2018, Federer said goodbye to his sponsorship deal with Nike when Uniqlo offered him a £300 million contract, and he has even beaten the likes of sartorial superstars such as Pharrell to be crowned GQ’s Most Stylish Man Of The Decade.
Now he is forging his own path again by teaming up with On for his signature sneaker. The company has never made a tennis shoe before, but they are a cult favourite brand with marathon runners and triathletes all over the world.
‘The Roger’ features rubber soles and vegan leather which On said was used to decrease the shoe’s carbon footprint. The On acclaimed Cloudtec sole hides a Speedboard which On states makes ‘every step feel lighter’.
“The minimalist design and easy comfort of On’s shoes had me hooked years ago. I wanted to infuse the tennis sneaker with the same lightness, comfort, and agility for every day,” said Federer.
“I love working with the On team, using my knowledge of performance footwear and personal interest in fashion to contribute to product development. I’m proud to be a part of the creation of The Roger, which is the most comfortable tennis-inspired sneaker you will ever wear.”
The co-founder of On, David Allemann explained that their aim to was to be able to protect the ‘incredible beauty that surrounds us’ which led to the creation of a new generation of tennis-inspired trainers with sustainability in mind.
“The Roger is crafted from vegan leather and has been designed for lightness to reduce material consumption. The result is a significantly smaller environmental footprint for this tennis-inspired sneaker. The vegan leather has approximately 30 per cent of the footprint of animal leather,” he said.
The 6 July date for the reveal of ‘The Roger’ wasn’t coincidental, as the date marks Federer’s first Wimbledon title 17 years ago. To make the most of the moment, the tennis icon hosted ‘Roger Live’, a virtual event with Federer talking to friends about tennis, life, and much more. The event was broadcast on YouTube, giving fans the chance to ask questions.
The shoe was produced on a limited run, and hopeful sneakerheads had to enter a raffle to get a chance to own the £200 trainers.
If you are looking for limited edition trainers in the UK, visit the Foot World store today!