While his near-mythological career as a professional tennis player might be over, Roger Federer’s star remains decidedly undiminished. If anything, the 20-time Grand Slam champion is busier than ever; hands firmly over the levers of commerce through his stake in ON Running and continued ambassadorship with Uniqlo.
Now, as if tennis’ not-so-elder statesman wasn’t already busy enough, Federer has announced the arrival of a new eyewear capsule with Oliver Peoples — the luxury eyewear label established in California and now made in Italy, popularised in such films as American Psycho and Man On Fire.
The partnership with Feds goes way beyond the scope of most contemporary fashion crossovers: it involves a multi-year deal, a total of four collections and, most intriguingly, Oliver Peoples’ first legit foray into the performance eyewear category.
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Shield-style sunnies (i.e. the aforementioned ‘performance category’ styles) make up two of the six new styles in this collaborative Oliver Peoples capsule. The R-4, which is available in both “solid dark” or mirrored lenses, is notable for its rubber bridge — a fully wraparound construction made to enhance the style’s toughness and comfort during extended bouts of rallying.
In contrast, the R-5 goes for a completely rimless look: clean and sleek, it puts the majority of the style’s surface area towards visibility — likely making it an excellent choice for sports that require peripheral vision.
These two styles are an especially big step for the brand. In the words of Rocco Basilico, Oliver Peoples President, they were “a huge opportunity.”
“In general for eyewear, there’s nothing that sits in the intersection of performance and luxury,” he continues, “So it was a great opportunity to start to look at that category with Roger.”
The remaining four models — namely, the R-1; R-2; R-3; and ‘Mr. Federer’ — offers a more conventional rendition of the Oliver Peoples aesthetic. The R-2, for instance, is the embodiment of Federer’s ideal aviator-style sunglass; while the R-3 fulfils a similar role for the classic Ray-Ban Wayfarer — the sort of frame you’d expect to see the GOAT himself rocking on any number of primetime red carpets.
All of these styles are already gradually trickling into Australian retailers, priced (depending on the exact model) between $390-$502. You can shop the full range of Roger Federer x Oliver Peoples frames below.
