I’m a former Wimbledon champion but no one remembers me for that thanks to chance encounter in Paris nightclub
HE won Wimbledon and was the world No1.
And yet he is arguably best recognised for his face being on a pair of shoes – and it all comes down to a chance meeting in a Paris nightclub.
The trainers are a staple on many people’s shoe racks these days.
But few people realise that Stan Smith of adidas Originals fame is actually a Wimbledon legend.
The American lost the singles final in 1971 but went one better 12 months later.
Smith, now 76 but still with his iconic moustache, beat Ilie Nastase in five gruelling sets to cement his place in Wimbledon history.
He also won the US Open and five doubles Grand Slams with Bob Lutz – but lost all four of his doubles finals at the All England Club.
Incredibly, though, he is better known for the fashionable white trainers.
However, it all came about when he bumped into adidas chairman Horst Dassler, son of founder Adi, in the French capital.
The German company were on the search for a new face of the brand for tennis with Robert Haillet retiring – with the plain white leather tennis shoe initially launched in 1965 under his name.
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And new world No1 Smith, who met Dassler during the 1972 French Open just weeks before his Wimbledon glory, was the answer.
As well as being the best male tennis player on the planet, his nationality enabled adidas to break into the American market, too.
The deal was eventually signed in 1973, with Smith’s agent insisting a clause was inserted to ensure an image of the player’s featured on the tongue.
The shoe was renamed the adidas Stan Smith and, although no longer appropriate for modern tennis, remains a classic leisure shoe.
Millions of pairs have sold worldwide in the 50 years of Smith’s endorsement – earning him far more than the £1.36m he earned in 16 years as a professional tennis player.
Various versions and updates have been released over the years, including the addition of the grass-green padding and logos.
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And Smith understands why it is one of the best and most popular trainers in the world.
He told Esquire in 2019: “I guess it is pretty weird seeing my face on a pair of sneakers.
“It’s very comfortable. It’s very plain. There are no bells and whistles. Well, they’ve added some bells and whistles over the years.
“You can wear it with almost anything and it’s a pretty good price point too. It gets better with time, some people love to wear them worn, but also some people like to wear theirs crispy and clean.
“One thing I love to see is a mother and daughter wearing a pair. You know, most daughters would not be caught dead in the same shoes as their mother, but for some reason they don’t mind when it comes to the sneakers. It still surprises me.”
Smith rocks his own trainers all the time – except ironically in one very important place, the Centre Court Royal Box, which has a strict dress code that prohibits trainers.
He added: “I still wear them every day. I see it as this global style. It’s huge in Japan. I once had a guy come up to me there and say he’d worn my shoe every day for the last 20 years.
“I’ve mentioned Paris already, right? I think they see it as a French style because of the Haillet. They still won’t let me wear them in the Royal Box at Wimbledon, though!”