Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Fashion & Style

The Manual may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site.

Seeing Green: Inside Roger Federer’s Off-Court Shoe Collection

Jon Gugala
By
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Roger Federer may be tied with Rafa Nadal as the winningest tennis player ever in regard to majors victories, but when it comes to grass, there’s no contest. With eight Wimbledon titles to his credit, Federer is a turf master, and thanks to the contest’s reputation of refinement, the 39-year-old, seen frequently hoisting its trophy, has come to embody the same. In keeping with his shuffle of sponsors (he announced a reported $300 million contract with Japanese apparel company Uniqlo in 2018), his signature shoes, collectively called the Roger Collection, were released on Wednesday, June 30, through Matchesfashion.

The Roger Collection features three styles, as well as a special edition of one of the styles. All are lifestyle shoes with a classic tennis aesthetic. At first glance, one might be impressed with the color options: The Centre Court features five hues for men, while the Advantage is available in seven. But upon closer inspection, all but the special-edition Clubhouse are distinguished by insignificant accents in various shades, most with a uniform (and predominant) white base. Those expecting the neon pops of professional tennis might, at first, be confused. But the uniform of the day at Wimbledon has always been white, and the shoe’s release is obviously coordinated with the 2021 tournament, which is currently underway.

Recommended Videos

Related Guides

While the Roger Collection is intended for kicking around rather than smashing overheads, at least one pair of performance shoes are out there. Federer is currently wearing a one-of-a-kind design with the On logo at Wimbledon, as he did in the 2021 French Open and, before that, in March’s Qatar Open. Despite his break with his former sponsor Nike in 2018, he continued to play in its tennis shoes as recently as the 2020 Australian Open. There’s been no announcement about a specific On performance line for the general public.

Related
Image used with permission by copyright holder

We admit that we just don’t get the Roger Collection from the running-specific niche company On — indeed, until about five minutes ago, the company was called On Running , and its focus has been on the roads and trails since its founding in 2010. Furthermore, the Federer Collection is conspicuously missing the company’s trademark honeycombed midsole. Both On and Federer are from Switzerland, we guess? Admittedly, Federer also boasts a sponsorship by the Swiss-based company Rolex. But luxury watches are a far cry from running shoes, and without formal plans to launch a performance court shoe, the compatriot connection seems like a thin excuse for these strange bedfellows. Only time will tell.

But those pursuing the summer ’21 trend of white shoes will find a lot to like with On’s Federer Collection. Clean lines with classic styling make them easy to pair with a suit or elevate an everyday outfit. Granted, they may not make you a more athletic court player, but if you can channel even a fraction of the refinement that Roger Federer represents, you’ll be in good shape.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Jon Gugala
Jon Gugala
Features Writer
Jon Gugala is a freelance writer and photographer based in Nashville, Tenn. A former gear editor for Outside Magazine, his…
Inside This Luxury Footwear Brand’s New Tennis Collection for the U.S. Open
Del Toro's Italian velvet special U.S. Open edition Milano chukkas.

There are few better ways to flash your commitment to style and comfort than with a handcrafted, velvet slipper. Now Del Toro, a luxury footwear brand inspired by the rich heritage and timeless character of the "pantofole," is offering a distinct nod to its elegant sporting kin, tennis.

To celebrate the ongoing 2021 U.S. Open Tennis Championships (underway through Sept. 12) in Flushing Meadows, Del Toro announced expansion of its timeless footwear line with a limited edition, yellow-green felt shoe series that teams with the Andy Roddick Foundation to help uplift American students. 

Read more
The Men’s Rover Shoe is Only the Smallest Change Toms is Making
toms rover shoe launch fa21 l m alprover greyoliveblack 5154

This isn't a
Toms
shoe, is it? I mean, if you squint, it kind of looks like the company's famous alpargata silhouette, of which it has sold more than 100 million pairs since its founding in 2006. (And how do we know that number? Because of its famous "one for one" model, by which it donated a pair of shoes to those in need in emerging-world countries around the globe for every pair it sells. It's easy math.) But the above is a Toms shoe, if admittedly much different than what most people have grown accustomed to. It's a fitting symbol for a brand that has over the last year scrapped one of its hallmark philanthropic commitments to focus on new areas of giving based on the next generation. What began in 2020 continues with the release of its Rover men's shoe, which is being released on Thursday, July 15.

“Sneakerizing is key," Toms CEO Magnus Wedhammar tells The Manual. "We’re not saying we’re going to make a performance sneaker, but [the Rover] has all the DNA of Toms in a modern execution.”

Read more
With Its New Men’s Line, Rothy’s Lets You Finally Live in Your Shoes
rothys mens shoe line feature 0

Lavion Gibson, director of product design for
Rothy’s
, remembers what it was like in those early days of the sneakerhead boom. “I grew up keeping my sneakers as crisp as possible,” the 34-year-old tells The Manual. Walking without creasing one’s shoes is a learned skill, but even more valuable is the DIY triage it takes to care for a scuff: Pull out your toothbrush, soap, and water. Take the laces out, clean the soles, and then let them air-dry. It was a meticulous process only compounded by his habit of buying a new pair every two weeks.

Gibson, from his office in San Francisco and appearing onscreen with Senior Vice President of Men’s Chris Hull, 45, laughs at the memory. Hull laughs, too, as on Monday, May 20, the pair saw the company’s first two men’s shoes launch. The joke is, in part, the intensity that comes with core shoe culture. But the other part is that with its release, Rothy's has allowed the fashion-forward man to have his cake and eat it, too. Phrased another way, the days of meticulous shoe care are a thing of the past, replaced with a regular washing machine and about an hour or two of time.

Read more