Roger Federer is into fashion: ‘I’m relieved to retire’ – New York Times International Weekly – International

Recently, a crowd gathered outside Uniqlo’s flagship store on Fifth Avenue in New York City in hopes of seeing Roger Federer.

The tennis player, who retired in 2022, presented his first clothing collection, which he designed with Jonathan Anderson.

Federer, 42, has long been selling caps and shirts with his RF logo. The new collection includes quick-drying polo shirts, zip-up sweatshirts and nylon trousers.

“They are more of a 90s style,” Federer said of the pants. “I grew up using them and getting them back was a lot of fun.” The star was involved in almost every detail.

In the edited interview below, Federer talks about his life in retirement.

Why did you want to create your own collection?

We have such a wonderful history of style in tennis. Rene Lacoste and Stan Smith were great tennis players. I think it’s important to remember where we came from. My collection is meant to be used during or after the game. For some reason, it was difficult for me, I don’t even know why, to make this crossover – from the site to the site outside of it. Sure, it’s not a sweaty look, but let’s just say if you don’t sweat, you can still wear my clothes, walk down the street and look stylish.

What was the most difficult part of creating the collection?

The starting point is what makes me the most nervous. It’s important to know where you want to go.

Were you worried about the end of your career and how it will affect your fans?

Life without a game, without fans and without the plans that have dominated my life for 25 years, was definitely something I didn’t know how I would feel about it. I tried for a long time to come back, try again and get out of the game healthy, but it was impossible.

But the good and the bad about Covid and my knee surgery is that things started to slow down over the last three years, so it’s not like I played 100 games and suddenly it’s over.

In the end, I felt relieved and was glad to retire. He finished well in the Laver Cup. I was surrounded by my biggest rivals, as well as my family and friends. I thought, “OK, now I’m happy. I don’t have to chase that little worm anymore.

This year you returned to Wimbledon, where you watched the game of Andy Murray from the Royal Lodge. What was it like to be a spectator?

Last year I went to Center Court for the centenary celebration. It was beautiful, but painful. I was hurt. I didn’t know if I would play again, so it was a very emotional moment. But this year it was completely different. My father whispered to me, “Wouldn’t you like to play on the field instead of sitting and watching?” and I said, “No. I’m glad to see.”

It was so much fun to sit next to Princess Catherine. I know her very well. She is an avid tennis fan and plays. We need to be careful not to talk too much (during matches).

Do you have another side of tennis that you want people to see now?

I began to make more recreational trips with my family. There are such different pictures of me, and it’s nice to know that people are still happy to see me.

Author: Alison Krueger