Before the U.S. Open kicks off Aug. 26, New York played host to another competition, not for a Grand Slam, but rather the best pre-tournament tennis party. On Aug. 23, Lacoste hosted Dumbo House members and friends of the brand for a sunset cocktail on an unusually cool evening that infused the exclusive club’s roof with the posh energy of a members-only club.
The club’s pool that overlooks the East River was transformed into a “tennis court” that only Jesus himself could play on, though no partygoers were brave enough to jump in (although a few were perplexingly barefoot while laying on chaise lounges). Lacoste’s roster of stars — including French tennis players Ugo Humbert, Arthur Fils, and Arthur Cazaux — chilled “courtside” in crocodile-logo gear, chatting about their summer tournaments and recent vacations over spicy margaritas. The biggest head-turner of the night was reigning Olympic singles champion Novak Djokovic — the second-best men’s tennis player in the world right now — who arrived in a sleek black vinyl jacket from the brand’s fall/winter 2024 collection with his entourage in tow before heading to the VIP section to hang with fellow player Grigor Dimitrov.
Darius Williams and JiaJia FeiCraig Barritt/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images
Novak DjokovicCraig Barritt/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images
Grigor DimitrovCraig Barritt/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images
Craig Barritt/Getty Images Entertainment/Getty Images
The fashion set also turned up to celebrate. Model Tanner Reese and creative Alexander Roth sipped on Hugo spritzes while mingling with stylist Ian Bradley and digital strategist JiaJia Fei, the latter of whom wore a Brat-green Lacoste jacket and skirt. Meanwhile, tennis influencer Morgan Riddle seems to have posted snaps from the photo to her Instagram stories in real time.
The evening’s party favors came in the form of white tennis balls stamped with a green crocodile, and on the way out, model Chloe Vero and I discovered that her new crescent-shaped Maheki bag is the exact width of a singular tennis ball. Whether that’s due to design or just a tequila-inspired discovery, it makes a compelling case to bring the same half-moon crossbody to sit courtside in case any fly balls come my way — preferably off Djokovic’s racket.
