Thirty years ago, Fila changed tennis fashion history with the introduction of color to "tennis whites." A new standard was set in tennis apparel when Bjorn Borg graced the courts of Wimbledon and the French Open wearing a form-fitting cream shirt with red pinstripes and shorts with a red and navy waistband. At the 2003 US Open, Fila plans to turn heads once again with tennis dresses designed for top WTA stars Jennifer Capriati and Kim Clijsters.
Fila's Design Director Freya Tamayo wanted to push the envelope with the dresses designed for America's "Comeback Kid" and the WTA Tour #1. Inspired by strong female athletes who train hard and dedicate their lives to sports, Tamayo wanted to spotlight the women's talent with a bold look on-court.
Capriati's dress is simple in style -- a racer-back tank with a halter- top, but the fabric is the key element of the dress. Printed and made in France, Capriati's dress has a patriotic look and feel that is perfect for America's top tennis star. The navy dress features white stars and a gold shimmer to the entire fabric. The fabric is a blend of nylon, polyester and lycra for a form-fitting look. Capriati will wear navy and metallic gold accessories to complement the dress.
Clijsters, on the other hand, will wear a sexy and reflective look on- court at the US Open. You won't be able to miss Kim compete in a silver lame' dress with white and black accessories. The simple lines of the racer-back tank silhouette make the fabric the key focus. The nylon and spandex blend fabric is a bold look for the world's number one tennis player.
Clijsters and Capriati will wear their dresses during select matches over the course of the tournament when they are not wearing Fila's US Open Collection of in-line apparel.
Capriati's dress will be available at retail with very limited distribution at Paragon in New York and at Fila's on-site retail store at the US Open. The suggested retail price of Capriati's dress is $90. Clijsters' dress will be sold only at Fila's US Open store at the event.
Both players will wear Fila US Open tennis footwear that has been customized to complement their special make-up apparel.