Noah’s Notes: Why Aren’t Big Brands Going All-In on Tennis?
In Noah’s Notes, Highsnobiety Editor-in-Chief Noah Johnson breaks down what he’s seeing in the world of culture and style every week — and what he thinks about it.
Celine Reeboks launched in NYC
I rarely go to in-store parties. They’re crowded, the lighting is bad, the drinks are warm. But Celine’s reception to launch the brand’s Reebok collab at its store in Soho was a strong exception. For starters, creative director Michael Rider was actually there (it’s shockingly rare to see a designer in a store). So was Marc Jacobs and the white man who can’t jump himself, Woody Harrelson. What a G. The shoes are $750. I’d wear the butter yellow.
Lulu vs. On
Tomorrow’s all-American US Open semi-final of Ben Shelton versus Frances Tiafoe pits two relative newcomers to the tennis apparel scene against one another—Tiafoe in Lululemon, Shelton in On. (And it’s maybe Shelton’s last major wearing On before decamping to New Balance, if you believe the rumors.) Anyhow, it’s interesting that there will be no swoops or stripes on the court for such a high-profile sports moment, especially given that both guys are young, relatively cool, and highly marketable. Year after year we see tennis maintaining its stronghold as a sport that moves the culture. So why don’t the big brands invest more to have a stronger presence at tournaments like this? Don’t get me wrong, I think it’s good to have more brands in the mix, but I also want tennis clothes that won’t make me look like a dork.
Much ado about A. Presse
The beloved cult Japanese brand’s collab with Supreme tests the limits of IYKYK fandom. As menswear increasingly steers toward small-scale niche brands, this small-scale niche brand is swerving toward the masses. I like a collaboration that doesn’t make a whole lot of sense on paper, as long as the clothes are good. My hunch is that A. Presse founder Kaz Shogematsu and James Jebbia have quite a few things in common and simply wanted to work together.
The color of the season is…
Pink. Based entirely on this one Man-tle jacket that I can’t wait to wear. And also the best hat at the US Open this year.
Wild Horse Sam
I had the tremendous pleasure of going to the Venice Film Festival last week where I saw the premier of Wild Horse Nine, the new film by Martin McDonagh starring our cover guy Sam Rockwell. Sam gave an all-time performance — as we knew he would. Co-star John Malkovich looked angelic in Dior. And the film is an absolute, five-star banger. What an honor it is to have this guy’s face on the fall 2026 cover. Go buy the mag now and read the profile here.
