Some matches are made in heaven; others are made on the court, and across New York City, it’s the season for both. As we transition from the sweltering triple-digit days of summer to the fallen leaf-strewn streets of autumn, the teeming SoHo sidewalks are no longer saddled with flip-flops flaunting the latest collab and highly coveted sunnies this summer’s ubiquitous uniform. Instead, they’re dotted with midi dresses — a sweater neatly draped over the shoulders, of course — and pleated skirts with polo tees in a subdued palette. It’s like something out of a country club catalog, fitting for the tennis fever sweeping the city. Some downtown dwellers may attempt to catch a match or two to flaunt their courtside ‘fits, while others took their smart-casual style to a night out with Nordic Knots.
Tennis aficionados and style insiders alike mozied up to the steps of the Swedish brand’s SoHo flagship store on a rainy Tuesday night to see how it interpreted tennis’ most-talked-about annual tournament in its Grand Open collection. Nordic Knots transformed the renowned storefront into a tennis-inspired installation to spotlight two velvety-soft, New Zealand wool rugs — one forest green, one a bold blue — both patterned with court-like lines. Match day energy was in full effect that misty night, despite the downtown outpost being miles away from the championship courts. Against atmospheric sounds, the guests traded rallies atop the Nordic Knots rug — which served as the evening’s arena, complete with a net and rackets for stylish and spirited play.
When they weren’t practicing their forehand or backhand swings, attendees, including stylist Alexander Roth, model Raissa Leme, and influencer Justin Lopez, wandered through the store, getting sweet-savory tastes from the Fro-Yo! cart, whose founding partner, Theo Constantinou, not-so-coincidentally soundtracked the evening. Tart and topped with rich olive oil from his brand Psyche and sea salt, the guests would then take their frozen yogurt cups to the bleachers, another nod to the traditional design of tennis stadiums. Amidst the flowing chatter and the perusing of the Nordic Knots product line, artfully displayed throughout the store, tennis-themed cocktails made the rounds on rackets by servers, who were also sportily dressed for the event in a quintessential all-white tennis uniform, with a headband and wristbands to match.
The playful references to the season’s last Slam showed no signs of stopping, with the sweetest of all finishes to the soirée being the retro gumball machine — filled to the brim with candy tennis balls — and, of course, gift bags for guests as they headed back out onto the SoHo streets.
It was a night worth braving the rain and making a “racket” about, for all the right reasons.
Discover the Grand Open Collection here.
