Why Beginning Boutique collabed with ‘the most famous woman in men’s tennis’
Beginning Boutique has never pretended to be a tennis brand. For nearly two decades, the Brisbane-born e-tailer has built its reputation on party dresses and festival fits, dressing Gen Z women for “their moments” rather than performance sport. Yet its latest collaboration – a 20‑plus-piece capsule with Morgan Riddle, the influencer widely dubbed the most important woman in men’s tennis – lands precisely as the Australian Open begins and makes a clear statement about where the brand sees growth: at the intersection of occasionwear, sport culture and lifestyle content.
The timing is no accident. “Timing is everything,” founder and CEO Sarah Timmerman told Inside Retail. “We love to align our partnerships with talent when it feels most organic. The AO is such a globally recognised event where sport and fashion intertwine, and we loved tapping into that energy.” For Beginning Boutique, tennis offers the perfect backdrop: “Tennis sits at the intersection of performance and style – it’s athletic, yet rooted in an aesthetic that’s both timeless and adaptable for everyone.” Riddle, who spends more than a month in Australia each summer, from New Year’s Eve through to the AO finals, anchors that story locally. Aligning the drop with her stay, Timmerman said, felt natural and captured the peak of summer while also tapping into the spirit of the Australian Open.
Why Morgan Riddle moves the needle
Riddle brings more than a courtside seat. As the partner of US player Taylor Fritz, she has turned behind‑the‑scenes tennis life into social media currency, blending “tenniscore” outfits with travel diaries and front‑row glamour. “Morgan has an incredible ability to inspire and influence fashion conversations around the world, so from that perspective, it was an easy partnership decision,” Timmerman said. “She’s not just attending tennis matches; she’s created a personal brand defined by confidence and modern style.” That brand – “polished but still wearable, confident, and fun” – closely mirrors Beginning Boutique’s core customer. The result is a capsule that stretches from cocktail hour to sitting courtside or travelling, positioning the brand not just as a party destination, but as a go‑to for entire summer itineraries.
From influencer edit to co‑designed capsule
Crucially, Beginning treats this as co‑creation rather than a straightforward influencer edit. The partnership has been in the works for more than nine months, on top of a relationship with Riddle that dates back to 2022. “This collection became a true partnership, not just a traditional influencer campaign,” Timmerman said. “Morgan was really hands‑on throughout the entire process. She had complete creative control when it came to what was in her collection, from the fit to the final design.” When the first round of samples was ready, the team flew to New York so she could be deeply involved in fit and fabric decisions from the outset. “She felt like part of the team, and we had so much fun creating together.”
Riddle’s own description of the capsule doubles as a positioning statement for the brand’s next phase. “I’ve always loved pieces that are effortless, versatile, and can take me anywhere – being able to pair together sets or throw on a dress to feel put‑together and chic no matter where I’m headed,” she said. The collection, she believes, is playful, comfortable, memorable and designed with true intention. That language – versatility, effortlessness, intention – speaks directly to the economic mood. Beginning’s customer still wants an outfit for every event, but she also wants to re-wear, restyle and justify each piece. “Occasionwear really is our bread and butter; we love to be there for our customers’ moments, big or small,” Timmerman said. “Versatility, though, is important. You’ll find this collection features a lot of sets that can be mixed and matched, which allows our customers to customise the collection to suit their style.”
AO as local stage, US as next stop
Strategically, the capsule is doing double duty. Domestically, it reinforces Beginning Boutique’s role in what Timmerman called “lifestyle-driven storytelling” – turning a two‑week Grand Slam into a month‑long content arc of “courtside to cocktails” dressing, travel, and summer socialising. “Over the past few years, we have been focused on global expansion, but Australia will always be home for us,” she said. “Activating a large-scale campaign that speaks to the work we have been doing in the background and the future of the brand is our priority with this collection.” Partnering with Riddle, who has both a strong global presence and a connection to Australia, strikes a balance between expanding its cultural relevance and staying true to its core customer.
Internationally, the collaboration extends the brand’s push into the US. Beginning opened its first American store in San Diego in 2024, followed by a US warehouse, signalling that offshore growth is no longer hypothetical. “As a global brand, having a global partner makes sense to us,” Timmerman said. In her view, fashion’s current romance with sport is not a fleeting trend. “We believe it is only the start.” Riddle’s feed – a steady stream of travel, tennis and high‑low styling – embodies the cross‑category lifestyle Beginning wants to inhabit. “Partnering with global creators gives brands the credibility and cultural insight to explore cross-category collaborations, whether that be in sport, travel or other areas, in a way that feels authentic and relatable,” she said.
From one‑off drop to long‑term story
If the AO is the stage, social media remains the engine. Timmerman is candid that success will be measured less by a single sell‑out moment and more by depth of engagement. “Our community are always at the forefront, so when exploring new collaborations, we focus on partnering with someone they can connect with,” she said. The key metrics are how deeply it connects with its community and how the collections fit into everyday life. That suggests a broader shift in how Beginning is thinking about influence: away from one‑off drops toward long‑arc narratives anchored in recognisable faces and repeat cultural moments. “You’d be right in saying this is not a one-off campaign; this speaks to the future of the brand,” Timmerman hinted. “We want to continue to build long-term brand stories rather than one-off moments, and this is definitely just the beginning.”
In that sense, collaborating with “the most important woman in men’s tennis” is less about chasing a hashtag and more about staking out a lane. Beginning Boutique is betting that its customer doesn’t just want a dress for Saturday night, but a wardrobe that keeps pace with the events, feeds and fandoms that shape her year. The Australian Open is simply where that bet happens to play out first.
Further reading: Beginning Boutique’s international success is fuelled by customer obsession
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