Racquet Club LA
This week, we had the opportunity to speak with and learn about tennis-centric lifestyle brand Racquet Club LA. This Los Angeles-based brand is young, but it has already gained a meaningful following. This featured article taps into the luster of the band and what makes it unique.
- Introduce yourself: What is your name? Where are you from? And what is your
background?
Hi, my name is Sasha, and I am the founder of Racquet Club LA. I am originally from Montecito, California and have spent most of my life out West, with a short stint in New York before moving back to my current spot, Los Angeles. I grew up a tennis player and played competitively through high school, but I just picked it back up religiously about a year and a half ago. I have worked in fashion for almost 10 years now, with most of my time in the industry working for Chrome Hearts before I transitioned to making RCLA my full-time gig this year.
- What is the origin story of Racquet Club LA? Where does the name come from? When did the brand start?
RCLA came to me last year when I was starting to feel like I was in a heavy funk and my one beacon of light was playing tennis with my “geriatrics” at the local club. I woke up one day with a crystal clear vision of a modern take on a tennis brand. I saw the store, the clothes, the customer experience and the return to prep but for a whole new audience. I had previously thought up an idea for a social club, so the idea of a “club” was already in my head, and it eventually became Racquet Club LA. I created the Instagram account right away, gathering tennis and lifestyle related images and started posting them in a color blocked/ombre style grid. A few months back, I started working on creating merch that I thought would appeal to the audience that was finding the account and finally launched the site about a month ago.
- What are three things, above all else, you want people to know about your brand?
Above all else, this is not a brand for just one type of customer. RCLA is where young and old come together, you can play the sport or just enjoy the style of classic tennis gear and that literally everyone can live a life of leisure, something that was once reserved for only a select few.
- What are the details about Racquet Club LA’s most recent collection?
This grouping was pulled together in my mind as the “Yuppie” group. A simple collection that includes a Canvas Weekender and Tote, some dad hats, and casual knits. I wanted it to read as a kind of kit, everything you may need for a full summer day. Similar to my Instagram, I like to create things in color blocks, so this grouping was navy/white influenced.
- What inspired the items in this collection?
I found this random British documentary on YouTube profiling 80’s Yuppie culture, and it was such a time warp and I was obsessed! I went on a bender and watched a few 80’s cult classics like St. Elmo’s Fire and Metropolitan and deep dove through my parents yearbooks. While some parts of this era have aged poorly, there are several parallels to what my peers and myself are going through as we navigate our late twenties. In general, there has always been something about the early 80’s that has intrigued me, I fiend for a time where we weren’t attached to our technology.
- Who/what are some influences for Racquet Club LA?
My childhood Tennis Club, Old Ralph Lauren and J. Crew ads, The Official Preppy Handbook, East Coast Traditional/West Coast Casual, and my best friend, Benjamin.
- What are some things that make Racquet Club LA special?
This is a prep-influenced brand, and I am excited to see so many people, who traditionally would have either not been included or just didn’t care for the style, gravitate towards the brand. The very first design I came up with was the “Stolen from Racquet Club LA.” This explains the brand perfectly, you aren’t part of the old establishment, you’re part of the new generation who doesn’t care about the dated rules, you’re taking the best parts from the old and starting a whole new club.
- What are five adjectives you would use to describe Racquet Club LA?
Simplistic, Evergreen, Lighthearted, Classic, Friendly.
- Would Racquet Club LA ever collaborate with other lifestyle brands? If so, what other brands would you be interested in working with?
Of course! I am a big believer in manifesting your dreams into reality, so my vision board is pretty stacked.
Without a doubt, the dreamiest collab would be with GOLF le FLEUR. I have loved Tyler since 2012 and think he is a creative genius. He is always two steps ahead of the rest, and it would be such a treat to work with him. I also think Aimé Leon Dore would be an amazing brand to bring a feminine touch to.
- What can we expect from Racquet Club LA in the future?
I hope to continue to grow and build an audience of both players and non-players alike! My vision I am working towards is a small brick and mortar in Los Angeles with other pop-up outposts during the spring/summer high-season. I see these shops as half physical tennis shop and half social meetup spot, an updated take on the country club pro shop.
The RCLA mantra is to live life leisurely, we all are moving so fast and at times aimlessly, so I hope this brand can encourage people to slow it all down and enjoy the simple joys of life.
See y'all out on the court!
Xx Sasha
We hope you enjoyed learning more about Sasha and Racquet Club LA. The brand’s social media along with the website is linked below.
Website: https://racquetclubla.com/
Racquet Club LA Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/racquetclubla/
Sasha’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sasha_pop/