With the US Open already in full swing in New York, tennis is dominating the cultural conversation both on and off the court. Against that backdrop, Daniella Kallmeyer has teamed up with Nike for a new take on the brand’s Tennis Centre silhouette, transforming the performance-rooted design into a refined lifestyle sneaker. The result is a pair of Nike tennis shoes in a custom “Travertine” colorway, combining suede, leather, and antique brass details with a finish designed to develop more character as it is worn.
The timing feels particularly fitting. The 2026 US Open is now deep into its final rounds, with the tournament’s quarterfinals underway and the semifinals approaching. But the collaboration speaks to something bigger than the Grand Slam itself. Tennis has increasingly become a meeting point for sport, fashion, celebrity, and personal style, while women’s sports have gained a larger cultural presence. For Kallmeyer, that intersection has been building for years.
Daniella Kallmeyer Brings Her Design Language to Nike
Although Kallmeyer is better known for sophisticated tailoring and sensual, understated sportswear than for sneakers, her relationship with Nike has been developing for several years. That connection was partly shaped by her interest in women’s sports and the athletes themselves, eventually leading to projects such as Café Kallmeyer during WNBA All-Star Weekend in 2025.
That history makes the new footwear project feel like a natural progression rather than an unexpected brand crossover. Nike approached Kallmeyer with the idea of reviving its Centre silhouette as tennis continued to attract renewed cultural attention.
The designer saw an opportunity to take something originally engineered for the court and place it within a modern wardrobe. Rather than simply decorating an existing tennis shoe, she wanted to rethink what the silhouette could become away from the court.
“It felt very befitting for us to bring that silhouette into the wardrobe,” Kallmeyer explained, describing the goal as expressing the shoe in the most distinctly Kallmeyer way possible.
From Performance Shoe to Everyday Staple
The original Centre was created as a tennis performance shoe, but Kallmeyer deliberately moved the collaboration in another direction. Instead of adding technical details or loud color blocking, she stripped the silhouette back and concentrated on its shape, materials, and craftsmanship.
The result is a lifestyle sneaker that feels deliberately quiet. Its “Travertine” finish gives the shoe a soft, earthy appearance, while suede forms much of the upper. Leather accents and antique brass hardware add subtle contrast without disrupting the minimalist aesthetic.
That restraint is central to the appeal of the new pair of Nike tennis shoes. Instead of looking like footwear designed exclusively to perform on a tennis court, the silhouette can be styled with tailored pants, denim, dresses, or the kind of layered sportswear that has become synonymous with contemporary New York dressing.
The Details Make the Difference
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Kallmeyer’s version of the Centre is defined by small details that reward a closer look. A hand-done stitch wraps around the back of the heel, adding a distinctly crafted element to an otherwise streamlined sneaker. Inside, a custom paisley gold-and-black logo tag gives the shoe another unexpected point of distinction.
An antiqued brass deubré on the laces continues the vintage-inspired treatment. Even the tongue has been reconsidered, with padding removed to create a slimmer, cleaner upper.
Together, these choices give the sneaker a sense of imperfection that is intentional rather than accidental. The materials are meant to change as the shoe is worn, making the passage of time part of the design.
A Sneaker Designed to Tell Its Own Story
That philosophy may be the most personal part of the collaboration for Kallmeyer. She has encouraged wearers not to treat the pale suede as something that needs to remain pristine. Instead, she wants the sneaker to accumulate evidence of its owner’s life.
The idea is particularly interesting for a white and neutral sneaker category where consumers are often encouraged to protect their shoes from creasing, scuffing, and discoloration. Kallmeyer’s approach turns those changes into features.
As the suede develops a patina, each pair should gradually become more individual. The concept fits neatly with her broader design philosophy, where clothing becomes more meaningful through repeated wear rather than being preserved as something precious.
Amanda Anisimova Leads the Campaign
To introduce the collaboration, Nike and Kallmeyer tapped tennis star Amanda Anisimova and art dealer Jeanne Greenberg Rohatyn for the campaign. Photographer Collier Schorr captured the pair at the historic Vanderbilt Tennis Club inside New York’s Grand Central Terminal.
Anisimova appears alongside Kallmeyer ready-to-wear, reinforcing the central idea behind the sneaker: tennis can exist simultaneously as sport, fashion, culture, and community.
The campaign also reflects Kallmeyer’s interest in how athletes use clothing to communicate their identities. For Anisimova, personal style offers another way for fans to understand the person behind the athlete, while Kallmeyer sees women’s sports as a space where individuality and excellence increasingly intersect.
Nike x Kallmeyer Centre Release Details
The Daniella Kallmeyer and Nike collaboration arrives at an especially relevant moment for tennis. With the US Open already underway and the final rounds playing out in New York, the project taps into the wider movement that has pushed tennis silhouettes from the court into everyday fashion.
Priced at $160, the Nike x Kallmeyer Tennis Centre is available through Nike, Kallmeyer, the SNKRS app, Shopbop, Net-a-Porter, and FWRD.
For Daniella Kallmeyer, the collaboration is ultimately less about creating another fashionable sneaker than reconsidering what a tennis shoe can represent. By reducing the Centre to its essential form and allowing its materials to evolve, she has created Nike tennis shoes that are designed not just to be worn, but to become increasingly personal with time.
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Featured image: Collier Schorr for Nike
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