Photos courtesy of Oliver Thomas
Keeping your social distance is easy on the court. Red-hot locally is the tennis-and-racquet collection from Oliver Thomas, known for its machine-washable, quilted-texture handbag collection. After the president of the United States Professional Tennis Association complimented Oliver Thomas cofounder Sue Fuller’s backpack at the PGA Show last year, the two collaborated to design a chic new line of tennis and racquet bags.
“We discussed that there was a need in the market for a fun, fashionable, functional, lightweight bag that was washable,” Fuller says. “I had played doubles for a few years, but I was not a great player,” she explains, so she spent months researching, designing, and following around tennis, pickleball, and paddleball players to understand what they needed to function. The line includes totes, backpacks, and sling bags in a variety of bright colors and patterns.
Not only are the products vegan, customizable with decorative badges, and spacious (with a zippered compartment built into the bottom of the totes and duffles, to store dirty shoes and sweaty clothes), they are machine-washable (appealing during the height of the pandemic) and water-resistant — all retailing for less than $175. Available online at www.theoliverthomas.com and at The Silk Road in Bronxville.
