Style Points: Leylah Fernandez leads Lululemon’s tennis invasion with new signature collection

Who wore what? Style Points breaks down the latest collabs, kits and fashion statements from around the tennis world.

When Lululemon named Leylah Fernandez as a global brand ambassador, the news came on the heels of another big announcement: the sportswear giant, famous for its yoga-inspired leggings and workout apparel, was gearing up to launch its first tennis-specific collection.

In tapping the US Open finalist to be the face of their new push into tennis, Lululemon stayed true to its Canadian roots while leveraging the sport’s global platform: Fernandez has been rocking Lululemon since the beginning of the season in Australia, and throughout her title-winning run in Monterrey.

“I think it was just a fairytale for me because I heard that Lululemon wanted to get into the tennis world, and when they contacted us, I was very, very excited and in awe that they wanted me,” Fernandez said in a chat with TENNIS.com’s David Kane. "At the same time, that just made me work harder and represent them the best way I can.

“They’re not only a Canadian brand but have values that are very similar to mine: one involves giving back, but they also want to keep improving and striving for excellence.

“It’s a great partnership we have going on; we’re just starting, but I hope to see both of us at the top very, very soon.”

According to Lululemon, the Spring ‘22 Tennis Collection “applies both elite athlete research and guest feedback to create insight-driven pieces that solve for every player’s need.” The collection includes an assortment of apparel and accessories for men and women, delivering four-way stretch, “advanced wicking” and quick-drying fabrics.

Ahead of the March 29 launch, Fernandez took the court in Miami wearing the new collection. Although her opening-round exit at the hands of Karolina Muchova didn’t allow for an extended look, the Canadian showed off Lululemon’s new Court Crush Dress in Vivid Plum during the match, as well as a variety of training gear throughout the week in Miami and Indian Wells.

With Lululemon also debuting a line of footwear in March, the question was if Fernandez would also rock the new Blissfeel shoes on court—up until now, she had been wearing former sponsor Asics shoes along with her new Lululemon apparel. But in Miami, Fernandez completed her look with a pro version of “The Roger” sneakers by Swiss footwear brand On, which were co-created with and promoted by Roger Federer himself.

The rest of Lululemon’s footwear collection is set to drop this summer, so only time will tell if the Canadian will go full head-to-toe Lululemon—and how the brand’s new footwear will perform under the strain of a professional tennis match across various surfaces.

The Spring ‘22 Tennis Collection will be available online and in select stores in North America on March 29, with additional pieces to be released this summer.