Rafael Nadal Fashion Retrospective: From sleeveless tops and “pirate” pants to bold and bright in Nike


If any tennis player’s career is worthy of an apparel retrospective, it’s Rafael Nadal—who exploded onto the tennis scene as a teenager with a head-turning look, and evolved into a fashion risk-taker who isn’t afraid of a little color.

While his Sleeveless Shirt and Pirate Shorts Era (2005-2008) was merely a blip in Nadal’s sartorial chronology, it’s no surprise why it immediately became his signature style. More than a decade since he hung up the clam-diggers, Rafa is still associated with them, recalling his youthful zeal and exuberance.

But as the boy from Mallorca grew up, so did his fashion—complete with the Spaniard’s signature Raging Bull logo, which was unveiled by Nike in 2013. The Nadal name was now associated with more mature silhouettes and ever-shrinking shorts: down to seven inches in 2014, hacking nearly a foot off from the original 18-inch inseam of yesteryear. But his bright colors and eye-catching patterns remained the same, as has his iconic Swoosh headband.

This your fashion life, Rafa:


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