‘Challengers’: Normcore Clothes on Sweaty Bodies

This week “Challengers,” Luca Guadagnino’s film about love, lust and tennis, finally hit theaters after being delayed by the actor’s strike last fall. Starring Zendaya, Josh O’Connor and Mike Faist as racket prodigies reunited by fate and tournaments, with costumes by Jonathan Anderson (designer of Loewe, his own JW Anderson line and many Uniqlo collabs), it is a romp through competitions and clothes. The Styles crew couldn’t help but have feelings.

Vanessa Friedman Aesthetics — clothes, colors, design — have always been important in Luca Guadagnino’s movies, but “Challengers” is the first time he has collaborated with a single fashion designer: Jonathan Anderson. What did you guys think?

Jessica Testa Well, it’s not often you see a major fashion designer step into a film costume designer role.

Guy Trebay JWA is to Luca what Givenchy was to Blake Edwards.

VF I loved the whole pop-art aesthetic of the movie, but I can’t say any of the clothes screamed “JWA” to me. If I hadn’t known he was the designer, I doubt I would have thought of him.

GT Never in a million years.

JT As a designer, he has a really interesting grasp on “normcore,” though usually he’s subverting or perverting it. That doesn’t happen here.