Is there anything more synonymous with the Australian summer than time spent by the court — whether you’re on it or on the sidelines. With the Australian Open officially kicking off this week (and HBB’s Wellness Week in full swing), the world’s most famed tennis stars have descended onto Melbourne Park for the Grand Slam tournament. To celebrate, two of Australia’s most well-known athleisure brands have joined forces to create the collab of the summer.
THE UPSIDE and Volley have brought their two iconic styles together to launch a special-edition heritage shoe. With a distinct retro feel, the design features a prominent 3-stripe detail on Volley’s signature heel-tape in a classic trio of red, white and navy, all finished off with the legendary Volley Up logo.
“Volleys conjure up so many great memories for me,” says Jodhi Meares, founder and creative director of THE UPSIDE. “Your school shoes came off and your Volley’s came on, signifying good times, fun times.”
To coincide with the launch, THE UPSIDE have also released an elevated tennis capsule to effortlessly pair with the collaboration. It’s tennis fashion meets function, with the pieces designed to be styled for all kinds of post-play activities (as well as let individuality shine).
“Tennis has a timeless appeal that definitely lends itself to reinterpretation, however there’s a sense that with a new, emerging rollcall of young, exciting and highly watchable tennis players, that tennis is exciting again and attracting an entirely new audience, bringing tennis into the lifestyle-centric wear realm rather than just performance wear,” adds Volley’s Content & Marketing Manager, Anna Geason.
You can expect the original lightweight cotton canvas to be a signature of the sneakers, as well as high-waisted skorts and dresses and flouncy pleats to accompany them.
“People are looking at healthier, better ways to spend their time. Tennis is a beautiful, social way to spend a Saturday afternoon, it’s another activity you can add into your wellness routine that’s fun too, because it’s playful,” Meares says.
THE UPSIDE X VOLLEY shoes are available exclusively at The Upside, Volley and Stylerunner.
If you’ll be at the Australian Open this year, you can also view the collaboration at Volley’s stand, which is open to the public for the duration of the tennis event this January.
