Leylah Fernandez is a tennis and style star worth watching

Canadian tennis sensation Leylah Fernandez exploded on the international stage last September with his dazzling performance at the US Open. The 19-year-old girl reached the finals, where she finished second after British tennis star Emma Raducanu, also 19.

Last week, Fernandez added a new title to his belt: an ambassador for Canadian sportswear brand Lululemon. He will wear Lululemon outfits both on and off the field and give feedback to the brand when it launches its first tennis collection later this year.

“Leylah inspires people of all ages as well as the next generation of athletes to take up tennis,” says Michelle Davies, Lululemon’s director of global sports marketing and partnerships. “We are proud to have his partner on an amazing journey ahead of him.”

Fernandez joins Lululemon’s growing list of athlete ambassadors, including NBA star Jordan Clarkson, runners and activists Colleen Quigley and Mirna Valerio, and YouTube fitness sensation Joe Wicks. Originally known for its yoga equipment, the brand was launched in Vancouver in 1998 and has recently expanded its athletic focus and was recently named official Olympic suit, from Team Canada’s ceremonial uniforms to Beijing in 2022 next month.

“This is a dream come true,” Fernandez said via Zoom from Australia recently, where he competed in the Adelaide International Tournament. He is looking forward to introducing Lululemon to the world of tennis and also wants to learn from the partnership. “It’s a great opportunity for me because I’m not just a tennis player, but I would also like to get involved in the business world. I study business courses at university because my parents want me to be independent.

The trilingual Fernandez was raised in Montreal by his mother, Irene, a Canadian Filipino, and his former football father, Jorge, a native of Ecuador. Jorge is the coach of both Leylah and his younger sister Bianca.

She said her hometown of Montreal and its outward fashion sense influenced the development of her personal style, her love to express herself through colors and patterns. “I’m an adult, I learn from my mistakes and I express myself more freely,” Fernandez said. “My personality is outgoing, very positive and bubbly, and I would like to bring it to the tennis court as well. I would like to bring different colors, be more explosive to fit my Personality.

In an atmosphere where female athletes are often criticized for their dress, Fernandez is well aware of the boundary between feedback and censorship. “People have a right to their opinions and criticisms as long as they are not degrading or offensive,” he said.

Most importantly, when Fernandez competes, action comes first. “In court, I don’t want to have to think about clothes and how uncomfortable they feel,” he said. “Lululemon does a great job; the clothes are super comfortable. Every time I wear them, I feel invincible.”

He also looks like it. The success of Fernandez’s US Open led to another exciting milestone: an invitation With Gala In New York last September. Tennis was well represented in the most brilliant event in fashion, and Naomi Osaka hosted. The exclusive guest list, overseen by Vogue editor Anna Wintour (an avid tennis fan), also included Raducanu, Venus and Serena Williams, Maria Sharapova and Canadian men’s tennis star Felix Auger-Aliassime, from Montreal.

Fernandez found out he was leaving at the last minute, but not because his invitation arrived late. “I was very excited to receive the invitation I got during the tournament, but my parents and agent said we’re looking forward to it a bit. He’s at a dead end here, and we don’t want to set him aside with this great invitation. After the finals, “by the way, they told me you were invited to the Met Gala.”

An equally exciting process was to visit Carolina Herrera’s offices and wear her perky black and white dress. The design was both based on a floor-length Herrera suit Serena and Venus Williams used a joint Vogue shoot with Annie Leibovitz in 1998. The house’s current designer, Wes Gordon, picked up on this theme for Fernandez by updating the silhouette to give it “a little spice,” he said. “Shorter length, more my style.” She describes the full glam experience as a “Cinderella moment.” “The whole preparation process, hair, makeup, putting on shoes – you think of Prince Charming. It felt like my mother put shoes on my feet; they fit like a glove. “

Fernandez called star night “unreal,” and his fellow athletes “showed me the ropes.” He was especially excited to meet Simu Liu from Canada for Marvel’s Shang Chi and the Legend of Ten Rings.

“We need to congratulate each other on our successes,” he said. Another distinguishing moment was chatting with a Cuban-American singer Camila Hair. “He’s done such great things for the Latin community. My father is Ecuadorian,” Fernandez said. “It was great to talk and see how independent he is in writing the song.”

It is undoubtedly just the beginning of an exciting life and career for Fernandez, who says he trusts his solid support system to encourage him to grow and express himself, but never forgets his roots. “When they see me a little ahead of myself, they know how to stop it and bring me back to planet Earth.”