THE SERVEARCHIVE
AI garment reconstruction: Maria Sharapova, Roland-Garros 2008. A sleeveless navy Nike tennis dress with contrasting white bands across the chest and low waist, a pleated skirt and a pearl-button rear closure.

Match kit · AI garment reconstruction.

Maria Sharapova · 2008

Pearls in Paris

A navy Paris dress with white bands and a Tiffany pearl at the back.

The original look

Maria Sharapova wearing the documented rg 2008 outfit.

Bob Martin / Sports Illustrated · Copyrighted editorial photograph; rights remain with the credited owner.

View original photograph & source ↗

The story behind the look

Sharapova’s custom Nike dress for the 2008 French Open carried a small but unusually luxurious detail: a Tiffany pearl button fastening at the back. Contemporary coverage linked it to her new partnership with the jeweller, which also supplied her tournament earrings.

The navy-and-white dress drew on 1920s styling. Its horizontal bands and moving skirt give the front a crisp rhythm, while the pearl makes the rear worth a closer look. Nike created the garment; Tiffany’s contribution was the jewellery detail.