On and off court style
The AELTC Championship is well and truly underway. Better known as Wimbledon, it represents the pinnacle of the ATP tournaments and is the finale of the UK grass court season and one of the British summer's finest and most memorable days out.
We recently found a photograph of our founder Harold Budd, playing tennis whilst kitted out in a white cotton shirt and cream flannels. Finding the photo at the height of tennis season, it got us to reflecting on the Wimbledon fortnight and in turn the fact that both Budd Shirtmakers and The Championships actually have quite a lot in common. Both are deeply English institutions built on tradition, exclusivity, and a particular kind of understated prestige. For two such different entities, we share a surprisingly similar DNA!
Tradition as our brand identity, not a marketing gimmick
Budd was founded in 1910 as a bespoke shirtmaker, and it is still described as an authentic and traditional brand today. Wimbledon operates much the same way. It's the one Grand Slam that still insists on grass courts and an all-white dress code, treating them as non-negotiable identity markers rather than quaint, replaceable relics. Appearance matters, and dress code off the courts counts almost as much as it does on them (see our dress code tips below). Both Budd and the AELTC value the experience of heritage and studied craftsmanship and dressing for the occasion, as opposed to just pushing products, merch or a match.
We’re both still here!
Budd survived the Blitz that destroyed the Piccadilly Arcade. In fact, as soon as there were units safe and ready to be occupied again, Budd moved right in from its original spot across the way and continued trading. We were the first tenants to occupy the Piccadilly Arcade when it opened in 1910 and the first to move back in 30 plus years later! Likewise, with the exception of the dreaded 2020 pandemic, Wimbledon has opened its doors without fail every year since day one.
Tiny footprints, but big reputations
Budd's premises are famously small, yet our output, range and reputation is far greater reaching than our physical proportions. Wimbledon's grounds are similarly modest compared to the other Grand Slam venues. Like Budd, it punches dramatically above its physical size on the global stage.
And finally.... appearance matters
Elegance catches the eye both at Budd and at SW18. Dress code matters at Budd and Wimbledon is a tournament worth dressing up for. If you are lucky enough to be in the club house, hospitality or royal boxes, then a good shirt, blazer/suit and tie are the order of the day (couple that with a good hat too).
Style has previaled in all areas of the tournament since 1877, from the spectator through to Umpires, Linesmen and Ball Boys. The tournament's strict purple and green colour code and livery itself are recognised worldwide, whilst in 1963, the white-clothing only policy for players was tightened up. It sets the tone for the tournament and the Victorian era when tennis was shaped by strict social standards around class, appearance and propriety.
Check out Budd’s own collection of curated Wimbledon pieces:
