Performance Sport and Lifestyle Fashion Are Converging in Real Time – And Fans Are Watching

- By Aidan Mailey

The line between performance sport and style is dissolving – and a tennis star is at the centre of this shift.

In late April the New Balance x Miu Miu collection featuring Coco Gauff was announced, ahead of its official product launch in September 2025. This doubled as both a product preview and a powerful case study in how brands can tap into the intersection of sport and lifestyle to connect with a new generation of fans.

The collection, one of the first luxury on-court collaborations ever in tennis, is both functional and fashion-forward. Gauff debuted the first look at the Italian Open in early May, highlighting the practicality of the collection. The aesthetic also makes a statement – this isn’t just any performance gear – it’s lifestyle apparel, that can be worn on and off the court.

This trend, often dubbed “Tenniscore”, gained momentum when Zendaya brought high-fashion streetwear to mainstream screens in Challengers, which gained great traction on TikTok. Today Tenniscore has evolved beyond a social media niche and is becoming a commercial opportunity, fueled by athlete branding.

How are younger fans engaging with tennis fashion?

Using YouGov Global Profiles and BrandIndex, we examined how this shift is playing out with the younger tennis fans, who represent a growing segment of the overall tennis audience:

• 46% of WTA tennis fans aged 16-28 actively keep up with fashion trends (compared to 33% of the general population).
• 42% say they follow famous people/celebrities for fashion trends (versus just 29% of the general population).

How can athletes and brands make the most of this?

Athletes like Coco Gauff are thriving in this new landscape. Whether it’s warming up in a leather jacket or sharing candid behind-the-scenes content on social media, Gauff has mastered the powerful blend of authenticity, style and performance that today’s fans crave. Her personal brands extends beyond the court, with the New Balance x Miu Miu collection proving just that.

Gauff’s announcement of the collection on Instagram wasn’t just a fashion moment, it marked a pivotal milestone for the marketing campaign.

YouGov BrandIndex data shows:

• New Balance’s Buzz Score among 18-34-year-old tennis fans peaked on the 24th of April, almost immediately after the release of the campaign.

• Purchase Intent for New Balance spiked among fans who listed her as their favourite athlete in early May, one week after the announcement and correlating with the build-up in anticipation of her first on-court appearance during the WTA Rome Masters.

The message is clear: when athlete storytelling merges with lifestyle branding, the commercial impact is real. Gauff isn’t just winning titles, she’s capturing and encouraging brand engagement, and with 42% of general sports fans aged 16-28 agreeing that luxury goods are a good investment (compared to 32% of the general population), it’s likely we’ll see many more designer partnerships to come.