EXCLUSIVE: Paige Lorenze and Ayan Broomfield Bring WAG Culture and Their Signature ‘It Girl’ Style to Year of Ours Campaign
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Year of Ours is taking a modern take on the classic “tenniscore” aesthetic with its annual tennis collection. Designed to be worn both on and off the court, the brand tapped Paige Lorenze, founder of her own brand Dairy Boy, chief lifestyle officer for the Miami Open and vocal member of WAG (wives and girlfriends of professional athletes) culture, as the creative director for its campaign.
Leaning into the intersection between sports and fashion, the Year of Ours tennis collection campaign features Lorenze alongside Ayan Broomfield, Canadian tennis player and girlfriend of tennis player Frances Tiafoe. Both Lorenze and Broomfield are business founders themselves and have worked with more than a few fashion brands. Lorenze was recently dressed by Prada for the Australian Open and Broomfield has had partnerships with brands including Wilson and Celcus.
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Eleanor Haycock, cofounder of Year of Ours, told WWD that she sees Lorenze and Broomfield as a natural fit to work on the launch of the 2024 tennis collection. “They admirably represent the intersection of sport and fashion and bring to life the collection just the way we imagined when designing it — for wear both on and off the court.”
Moreover, she touted Lorenze for her work as the creative director of the shoot, saying that she allowed the team to “tap into her extremely artistic ability and create something that felt authentic to both girls and us as a brand. At our core, Year of Ours is a female-created and -led sportswear and lifestyle company. It’s imperative for us to partner with like-minded women in the space who share our values of inclusivity, positivity and never settling for anything less than amazing.”
Lorenze said that, to her, tenniscore is more than a trend. “It’s a fashion movement that fuses the classic, historical styles in tennis with modern ready-to-wear pieces. Over the past few years, we’ve seen a rise in vintage-inspired looks, brands and styles. Tennis fashion has always been iconic and I love that we are in a way paying respect to tennis fashion. I also love that tenniscore has drawn more individuals into the sport!”
From her perspective, the movement has allowed classic silhouettes that have always been seen on the court to now be worn throughout daily life. “There is no doubt that we will continue to see a rise in tenniscore in 2024 and especially with modern brands reimagining tennis fashion with new collections — that’s why this project with Ayan is so exciting to me.”
And the tenniscore style extends far beyond the players to the attendees.
“The synergy between sport and fashion will continue to go hand in hand as we see more individuals lean into personal style and fun fashion choices within the sport as players, but also as attendees at games,” said Lorenze. “Fashion has always been part of sport, but now more than ever we’re seeing sport capitalize on its ability to be influential within the fashion space.”
“As a tennis player myself, I am loving the merger of fashion and sports,” Broomfield added. “Sports, much like fashion, is an art form that is viewed by millions around the world. It only makes sense to showcase fashion to such a vast range of athletes and fans. I believe athleisure is going to become a bigger staple as inspiration for fashion trends.”
Having caught great attention for their style cheering courtside, both Lorenze and Broomfield have been champions of each other within the WAG culture. To that end, Lorenze told WWD she is “incredibly humbled to be part of this collaboration and partner with Ayan. We’re close on the tour and I think being able to see the two of us together is a powerful statement, one that says ‘we support each other, we’re here for each other, and we as women are more than just WAGs’.”
Attention on WAG style has been increasing as of late with fans tracking their looks through social media.
“WAGs are collaborating, creating content, becoming faces of brands, and starting businesses, all while supporting and uplifting their partners,” said Broomfield. “I believe that the term ‘WAG’ has undergone a significant transformation, from women taking a backseat to their significant others to ensure their success, to women using the platform to have a seat at the table. WAG culture, to me, represents women stepping into the spotlight and shining.”
While Broomfield told WWD that she took offense to the term WAG for a long time because she saw it as “a devaluating term that stripped women of their worth,” she later came to appreciate the women who uplifted and supported their partners in their careers and lives.
“Sitting down and having conversations about sacrifice, dedication and hard work, I realized that being a WAG was powerful and presented an opportunity,” said Broomfield. “I figured if I were going to be in this position and have a platform, I wanted to use it for good.”
Notably, Broomfield launched the Ayan Broomfield Foundation, which focuses on merging her business with philanthropy. “My foundation is my way of making use of everything that comes with being a WAG. The impact of giving back and helping those in need is the most powerful thing you can do,” she said.
“If WAGs continue to collaborate and stay unified, I don’t think there is a limit,” said Broomfield. “I would love to see more WAGs speaking out on social issues because, again, with the platforms that we have, we should be using them for good.”
“Team spirit” has always been at the forefront of the Year of Ours brand ethos, which Haycock said she sees shining through in the partnership between the brand, Lorenze and Broomfield.
“Paige and Ayan are not only good friends, but also supporters of one another while on the road with their respective partners,” said Haycock. “This collection stands as an ode to historical turned modern tennis fashion, sportsmanship, and empowering women within the world of tennis. Paige and Ayan are much more than WAGs themselves; they are athletes, female founders, philanthropists, entrepreneurs, and so much more. We are honored to have worked with them for this collection.”
Lorenze shared her excitement for the partnership with Year of Ours and Broomfield saying that she sees that “there’s power in collaboration.”
“It’s extremely important as women in our position that we spread the message that empowered women aren’t powered by men,” said Lorenze. “I have so much admiration for other female founders and especially females in the sports industry since I was an athlete myself. It’s very important to me to continue to encourage other women to step into an entrepreneurial role themselves. Being a woman is so powerful, especially in business; we have an advantage through the disadvantage of our position in society and I hope to continue to showcase that through my content and partnerships like this.”
Available to shop online now, the 14-piece 2024 Year of Ours tennis collection features three new bralette, skirt and dress styles and new colorways. As seen in the campaign, Lorenze told WWD that her favorites include the Coco skirt and the Doubles dress, which she plans to wear dressed up and dressed down both on and off the court. The collection’s sizes range from XS to 2XL.
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