Is table tennis fashion's next topspin trend?

Accessible, urban and casual retro jerseys – can table tennis establish itself as the next tastemaker between sport, fashion and lifestyle?

For a long time, the serve was reserved for tennis, with its leading brands like Lacoste and Fila, which embodied an elite look with pleated skirts and sleeveless jumpers. This chic sports style naturally fits the conservative change in society, but also cries out for a counter-movement.

Table tennis, its younger sibling, never adhered so much to the formal rules. While legendary table tennis brands like Donic, Joola and Butterfly have modernised over time, the retro looks in particular offer plenty of inspiration.

Fashionable serve on the table

In the 1990s and early 2000s, the jerseys were particularly adorned in geometric patterns and colours, similar to football. While the hype surrounding football jerseys is already at its peak, the sporty polo shirts from the table and the matching tight shorts – very much in the style of the current Prada menswear collections – could still benefit from this. The popularity of table tennis at the Olympic Games offers opportunities. This was stated by Celine Del Genes, global chief customer officer at Decathlon, as part of the current McKinsey study “Sporting Goods 2025 The new balancing act: Turning uncertainty into opportunity”. Sports like these are community-oriented and accessible.

For a friendly game with friends, the simple stone table tennis table, which can be found in many public parks, as well as a few simple bats and a ball are sufficient. Alternatively, there are more and more so-called ping pong bars and cafés in large cities, where you can rent a table for the evening and play together in a relaxed atmosphere with a drink. There are no judgemental looks from the neighbouring table on skills that may not meet the requirements of the local club.

Table tennis conquers streetwear

Community and yet an individual style have long been among the core values of the streetwear movement. In fact, the ball is now also coming over the net from this corner. In East Asian countries like Japan and China, the fashionable subculture surrounding the bat sport is already somewhat more pronounced. It is increasingly seen as a form of self-expression. This can be observed, for example, on Xiaohongshu, known outside China as Red. Various posts on the Chinese social commerce platform show the growing interest in the trend. In addition to the latest collaborations, such as between the sporting goods manufacturer Li-Ning and the US streetwear brand Staple, users also show their own creative skills by upcycling old jerseys and offering them for sale with retro labels.

The high-priced Parisian streetwear brand Casablanca has already dedicated itself to sport for spring/summer 2022. It was inspired by the cuts and styles from Japan. They also cooperated with the table tennis brand Butterfly for a design-oriented table tennis table and a set of bats. Various jumpers, T-shirts and shirts that tie in with the retro aesthetic are also still currently available in the brand's online shop.

Little Tokyo Table Tennis (LTTT) proves that enthusiasm is also growing on the other side of the world. The Los Angeles-based “Ping Pong Club” is playing at the top of the championship race in this trend. It is currently conquering the streetwear world with its merchandise.

LTTT combines sporty pieces with Japanese-oriented streetwear that focuses on characters and pop culture prints. There are also collaborations, such as with the table tennis brand Butterfly, to revive the aesthetics of retro jerseys with a modern twist – based on the merchandise – as well as matching accessories. Table tennis bat bags or a table tennis net with frills – based on the Lolita fashion popular in Japan – are of course a must. The club recently received international attention through a collaboration with the Japanese sporting goods giant Asics, which ranged from caps to jerseys to sneakers. The collaboration, which launched earlier this month in the LTTT online shop, was largely sold out after a short time.

@scotty.tsunami What people are wearing at my ping pong club in LA. Too many fits that didnt make it in � #la #fashion #fyp #pingpong #tabletennis ♬ Seven (feat. Latto) - Explicit Ver. - Jung Kook & Latto

With this, the first topspin has gone over the net, and certainly the last points have not yet been counted.