As Wilson’s first ‘360 player’, Marta Kostyuk is calling the shots

When Baseline last caught up with Joelle Michaeloff, the vice president of design at Wilson Sportswear, it had been about one year since the heritage sporting goods company made its first venture into tennis apparel.

Led by Michaeloff, the Sportswear division’s first lifestyle and performance focused collections were met with positive reviews, and its trendy collaboration streetwear label Kith put Wilson on the fashion radar—a first for a company better known for its sports equipment.

The only thing missing from the equation was the buy-in of a top professional athlete, like the many tennis players affiliated with Wilson Sporting Goods through their racquets. Sponsorship of a ATP or WTA player is a highly visible way for any brand to, a) show that they mean business in the sports apparel game, and b) to prove that their garments are up for the physical challenge too.

It’s a bit easier to design something that’s just pretty. But to have to make it perform makes it such a challenge, and literally my favorite thing in the world. Joelle Michaeloff, head of design at Wilson Sportswear

That’s because while a number of designers have flooded into the tennis fashion space in the last five years, very few of them have put their energy into creating performance apparel, ie. clothing that is specifically created to play tennis in, and even fewer still that the pros would wear. Wilson Sportswear is hoping to ace in both departments.

“It’s a bit easier to design something that’s just pretty,” Michaeloff says. “But to have to make it perform makes it such a challenge, and literally my favorite thing in the world… Applying engineering to apparel is something I get super stoked about.”

Joelle Michaeloff, head of design at Wilson Sportswear, on outfitting WTA player Marta Kostyuk:

In recent years, the fashion world’s interest in tennis has started to be reflected at the professional level too. Brands like Hugo Boss, Lululemon and Free People have all gotten into the game, outfitting Matteo Berrettini, Leylah Fernandez and Sloane Stephens respectively, while On made headlines last week by signing world No. 1 Iga Swiatek and rising American Ben Shelton to exclusive head-to-toe deals.

Not to be left behind, Wilson Sportswear announced its arrival to the professional tennis world with an eye-catching name of its own. In January, Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine became the first player to sign a head-to-toe deal with Wilson after years of competing with their Blade v8 racquet.

“What attracted me to Wilson is that it makes me feel authentic,” Kostyuk said. “It makes me feel like I’m the only one wearing something, which makes me feel special.”

“Marta is amazing. We’re super lucky that she wants to do this with us,” Michaeloff says. “And you’re now solving for an elite player, whose every detail can affect how she plays the game. “To have that responsibility is a big deal, because things just have to work. She can’t be thinking about her clothes.”

Making this happen involves obsessing over the details and incorporating a lot of Kostyuk’s feedback—right down to the length of a shirt sleeve or a skirt’s particular construction. “Would you ever play a match in this skirt?” Michaeloff quizzed Kostyuk, who enthused that she would (video above). Later on at the Miami Open, Kostyuk would indeed be spotted competing in a tan colorway of that exact outfit.

“Her feedback is going to continue to allow us to make even better, higher performance, more superior products—and that’s crazy exciting to me,” Michaeloff says.

Her feedback is going to continue to allow us to make even better, higher performance, more superior products—and that's crazy exciting to me. Michaeloff on working with WTA No. 38 Kostyuk

For Kostyuk, becoming Wilson’s first head-to-toe ambassador has marked a step forward after years among the Nike rank and file. Not only do the new clothes look great and perform well, it also helps that the Ukrainian is playing some of the best tennis of her career while wearing them.

Kostyuk, who started the year with a win over Elena Rybakina in Adelaide, christened the new partnership by recording her first Grand Slam semifinal appearance at the Australian Open in doubles with Elena-Gabriela Ruse. Her rise has only continued since, culminating in Kostyuk lifting her first WTA Tour trophy at the inaugural ATX Open, a 250 event in Austin, Texas.

She currently sits at world No. 38 on the WTA rankings, a career-high.