Coco Gauff Told Me How She Dresses Differently in Paris vs. NYC

Few things delight me more than a tennis and fashion crossover. Combining my two passions into one story? Talk about a dream assignment. When American Eagle offered an interview with its newest campaign star, Grand Slam champion Coco Gauff, I jumped at the chance. Currently ranked number two in the world, Gauff graciously found time to chat with me ahead of her next tournament.

Gauff will be traveling to the Olympics in Paris and then the US Open in NYC, so I asked if she dresses differently in the two cities. “One hundred percent,” Gauff told me. “I do feel more comfortable being out in New York because Paris has a very professional, chic vibe. I feel like they focus a lot on layering when it comes to their fashion and really strong, quality clothes. Maybe not too much color, but just using layering a lot. … When I pack for Europe, I pack differently. I like to pack more staple pieces with high-quality materials.”

Gauff went on to explain a French fashion faux pas she once made: “In Paris, I was wearing a neon New Balance hockey dress and jeans with a bunch of pockets, and I definitely got some looks in the area I was in. … In New York, the craziest things happen there, so you’re just a fly on the wall. You can wear whatever, and you won’t stand out.”

Scroll down to read my full interview with Gauff, who will lead the U.S. Olympic team as flag-bearer at tomorrow’s Opening Ceremony along with LeBron James.

Why is working with American Eagle a good fit for you?

Growing up, I always shopped at American Eagle. This is my first time doing a campaign like this off-court. I’m really excited to partner with them because, in the tennis world, a talking point is the outfits I wear with New Balance, so I think it’s really cool to do something off-court and show people more of me as a person and what I like in fashion.

What are some ways you use fashion to express yourself when you’re off the court?

A lot of ways. I change my aesthetics a lot. Sometimes, people ask me, What’s your aesthetic? I don’t really have one because I feel like some days I wake up and I’ll go out in a flowy skirt, like the soft girl aesthetic. And then the next day, I’m wearing baggy jeans or cargo pants and an oversize thing, kind of dressing like a guy. It really just depends on how I wake up that day and how I want to present myself, but I like the idea of mixing feminine and masculine tones together.

Do you have a favorite item from American Eagle right now?

I love the Stovepipe Jeans ($45). They’re not too baggy in case I have to do something a little bit more formal. I love baggy jeans—the baggier the better—but sometimes, I only have time to wear one outfit. I don’t have time to change. I think it’s just a good jean to dress up or dress down.

Are you excited for the Olympics? Tennis is such an individual sport, so how does it feel to be part of a team?

I’m super excited for the Olympics. It’s my first time going. I qualified for Tokyo, but I got COVID at the same time. I need to put myself in a hazmat suit until I actually get there. I’m really excited to go, and it does feel different with the team vibe. I just tried on my actual kit for it yesterday, and it has “USA” on the back, and it gave me a little bit of chills. In tennis, we’re always representing our country, but it feels obviously a lot more [significant] when you’re playing in the Olympics.

Can you give us any hints about your US Open outfit?

Honestly, we changed it. I will say we had an outfit at the end of last year, and then I wore it, and we just felt like it wasn’t it, so we changed it. This US Open, it’s definitely going to have some color, but not as much neon as last year. I will have at least two different kits, one for day and one for night, and I do have a third one if I want to throw it in there.

Shop Coco Gauff’s Picks From American Eagle