The Iconic Suzanne Lenglen tennis skirt

Suzanne Lenglen, world tennis icon

Suzanne Lenglen, pioneer of legendary tennis women, is considered the first international star of tennis feminine. Her track record is impressive: at 15 she was already playing in the final of the French International Championship, the ancestor of Roland Garros. During her professional career from 1913 to 1927 she won 241 tournaments, 8 Grand Slam titles and 3 Olympic medals. She was the best player of her time. The Serena Williams of the 20s, in a way…

His talent and track record earned him entry into the International Tennis Hall of Fame (a sports museum in Newport founded in 1954 by James Van Alen, in the state of Rhode Island in the United States, dedicated to preserving the history of tennis, which honors tennis legends, personalities who have left their mark on the sport and retraces key events in the discipline) in 1978, and to give his name to the Roland-Garros court in 1997 (the Court Suzanne Lenglen, designed by architect Didier Girardet, the second largest tennis court at the Roland-Garros stadium, after the Philippe Chatrier court. Inaugurated in May 1994, it was previously called "Court A". With a capacity of 10 seats, it was recently renovated to be equipped with a retractable roof inaugurated for the Paris 056 Olympic Games). The champion, appreciated - she even had a doll in her image! -, largely participated in popularizing tennis, especially among young women.

Added to this popularity is its revolutionary influence in the world of sports fashion. Because Suzanne Lenglen, who offers a game that is both physical and graceful, needs clothing that gives her both elegance and freedom of movement. From her teenage years, she wore pleated dresses to the knee. Her way of playing, influenced by the classical dance lessons she took alongside her first tennis training sessions, as well as her clothing style, are surprising.

Tennis star Suzanne Lenglen models a one-piece trouser suit with a detachable skirt during a visit and lecture tour in London. (Photo by © Hulton-Deutsch Collection/CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images)

Jean Patou, pioneering fashion designer

In 1922, the one nicknamed "the divine" or the "tennis diva" became the muse of the couturier and perfume manufacturer Jean Patou. This fashion designer, in tune with his time, founded the eponymous house in 1914. He became known for his innovative creations and his lasting influence in the fashion and perfumery. He notably launched the emblematic perfume Joy, a juice with an exceptional composition, long considered "the most expensive in the world" and still today carrying a meaning of prestige and opulence.

The French dress designer Jean Patou, with two women, ca. 1935. (Photo by © Hulton-Deutsch Collection/CORBIS/Corbis via Getty Images)

Jean Patou, an innovator, had already introduced corsetless dresses into the fashion world, shortened skirts and launched a line of sportswear for the city. A pioneering character, the ideal profile to offer Suzanne Lenglen this iconic skirt. He gave the garment several new features to adapt it to the practicality requirements imposed by tennis: the outfit is pleated and light, which allows the person concerned to move much more freely on the court. The designer also opted for a daring length for the time: the skirt is shortened and now reaches above the knee, which also helps to improve freedom of movement. The model is in white silk (by aristocratic tradition), because this material is considered functional while remaining elegant.

circa 1925: French tennis player Suzanne Lenglen modeling a new outfit, a below knee length pleated skirt and coat. (Photo by General Photographic Agency/Getty Images)

The Suzanne Lenglen skirt, a symbol of sartorial audacity and sporting excellence

A true revolution in clothing, a fusion between sport and haute couture that does not fail to displease conservatives, at a time when the tennis player's wardrobe clearly restricts the body and movement.
But the skirt embodies a period of youth, dynamism, and a strong desire for freedom and personal expression, which coincide with the post-war mentality. And of course, the exceptional performances of the "divine" on the court (8 Grand Slam titles!) only support the obvious: this skirt allows you to play tennis better. The eponymous model ends up being adopted by all tenniswomen, up to contemporary tennis skirts where functionality rhymes with style, perpetuating this innovative sports equipment. After her career, Suzanne Lenglen will also launch herself into the design of sportswear for a fashion house, will continue to promote outfits providing freedom of movement and to influence clothing trends in women's sport.

More than a piece of clothing, the Suzanne Lenglen skirt is a symbol of the alliance between sport and Fashion, which marks the beginning of a new era in the women's sports wardrobe, and more broadly the entry into the Fashion in the tennis world. In terms of materials, while they have evolved (nowadays, designers of sportswear and tennis skirts use polyester for its lightness, spandex or elastane for its elasticity, nylon for its durability or even cotton blend for its balance between comfort and functionality), the ambition remains the same: to maximize freedom of movement to promote athletic performance.

PARIS, FRANCE - JUNE 08: Iga Swiatek of Poland plays a forehand against Jasmine Paolini of Italy during the Women's Singles Final match on Day 14 of the 2024 French Open at Roland Garros on June 08, 2024 in Paris, France. (Photo by Lionel Hahn/Getty Images)

And in terms of style? The Suzanne Lenglen skirt certainly helped establish an aesthetic specific to courts, to which current fashion designers continue to pay homage. Because it laid the foundations for what would later become the sportswear, recalling that the sport is also an area where Fashion and artistic creation have their place.