Product Manager Georgina Ingram takes us through the brand’s aims and aspirations and what we can expect from the new collection.
Image: adidas Golf
Personally, I think the more golf wear doesn’t look like it should ONLY be worn on the course, the better.
I don’t want to have to get changed before or after my round, or double up on the amount of clothes in my wardrobe, if I really don’t have to.
This is one reason why I love the golf clothes from adidas. They’re perfect for playing golf in, but I’ll also wear them for walks, lunch dates, gym sessions and use them in every other area of my life, too.
Of all the golf brands out there, adidas Golf is one of the most forward thinking, progressive and modern, and the company has its sights set on making the whole golf industry step forward into the future as well.
I caught up with adidas Golf Product Manager Georgina Ingram to find out more about how they are trying to make golf seem more cool, fashionable and attractive to a wider range of people.
Do you intentionally favour a sporty and athletic look?
In golf there will always be a need for a traditional collared polo in golf so we’ll continue to provide those kinds of products, but we’re definitely seeing a movement towards more people wanting more sporty looking golf clothes.
The majority of our pieces are very versatile. As the rules continue to relax, we want to create a golfing uniform that you are just as happy to wear in your free time as you are on the course.
We want to be the most progressive sports brand out there and we are always looking at ways to be more innovative and bring in products that really push the boundaries within golf. It’s always in the front of our minds.
With polos we're introducing racerbacks and mandarin collars and we’re seeing our sales increase, so there’s definitely an appetite for this athletic look and feel. For a younger woman it must be daunting to see some of the more masculine, traditional products, and the clothes that are more in line with the rest of the adidas range will seem more appealing.
Do dress codes ever pose a problem?
Golf clubs are becoming more accepting and generally, if a piece of clothing is made by a golf brand they will accept it. It’s great that we can help bring about change, because if a pro shop wants to stock our range then they kind of have to relax their dresscode rules. We are pushing for golf to have a more forward-thinking attitude, and then hopefully once clubs follow the rest of the industry will too.
What are your other key messages?
This summer we focused on sustainability and the Primeblue collection is made from recycled ocean plastics that have been collected and made into yarn. It’s a real statement and so progressive. Then on the commercial side we have our Primegreen collection, and about 91 percent of this is made from recycled materials and polyester. Across adidas a whole, we want to provide 100 percent recycled or upcycled products by 2024. But the golf side wants to go a step further and achieve this by 2023. The Infinite Play feature is really cool and it lets you send old and unwanted adidas clothes back and we'll pay you for them in a voucher while the items are crushed down and used again.
Who's your target audience?
We did a lot of research into this and we came up with two personas called Tom and Carrie. Carrie is in her early forties, got into golf through her family, uses social media a lot and wants versatility in her golf products - we always keep that in mind but that’s not to say our clothes aren’t suitable for anyone older or younger than that
Are they also influenced by your brand ambassadors?
Our head designer has a really good relationship with Danielle Kang, Jessica Korda and Paula Creamer. A lot of our staples has been briefed in by one of those guys, we have a lot of base layers and protection pieces and that’s been drilled in by those pros saying that’s what they want. You’ll notice that on tour they’re always wearing a long-sleeved top underneath their polo, it’s a mainstay for our range now.
What can we look forward to in the future?
For this winter, the cold.rdy range isn’t overly heavy or restrictive. It’s meant to be like weightless armour against the cold and the rain and there’s a big focus on keeping the back and shoulders warm and loose. We even have leggings instead of traditional golf trousers.
Then for SS2021, we’ve had a lot of interest in golf dresses, a trend that we’ve seen building over the last few years. There’s one that’s a bit tennis inspired with a racer back (pictured above).
What are your personal favourites?
For SS20 we really pushed what was expected and caused some disruption. There’s a group called pinnacle, I love this range and it’s when we first introduced racerback polos and threw a load of technology into the clothes. It really elevated them and made them eye catching; they’re just the kind of things I would wear on the golf course.
To view the full range visit www.adidas.co.uk/women-golf.
