Psycho Bunny, there is a new tennis brand

There is a new signature-a “crazy bunny” with a skull, hard to miss-that is increasingly being seen on tennis courts. It is the logo of Psycho Bunny, a young Canadian brand that has recently landed in the sponsorship universe of the circuit, and which seems to have clear ideas to increase its visibility in the coming years.

The first stone was laid by playing at home in Canada, joining its name with the national team and the main tournament played annually in the country. Then, in recent months, came the time of the first Ambassador, Alexei Popyrin, which along with the launch of the first capsule collection definitely sanctioned Psycho Bunny's landing in the environment. “We don't have the tradition of Fred Perry or Lacoste,” explained creative director Bertrand Cesvet, recounting the brand's new venture, ”but tennis is a world we know and can reinterpret in our own way, interesting on and off the court. You could say it's the perfect playground for us, that we wanted to evolve but we weren't going to veer into street culture.”

Psycho Bunny does not star in a solo outing. Rather, he represents a testimony, yet another, to the growing link between lifestyle and tennis. A mutual flirtation, which in recent years has intensified in both directions: as much on the court, with new influences, styles and collaborations, starting with Jannik Sinner and the many emerging racquets of the Italian renaissance; as on the catwalks and in streetwear, where the “tennis-core” aesthetic is living, in the wake of the film Challengers and the looks sported by Zendaya, its golden age.

Tennis according to Psycho Bunny

Psycho Bunny, founded in 2005 in New York by Robert Godley and Robert Goldman, began as a brand of English silk ties. The brand has made a name for itself because of its distinctive aesthetic, which mixes classic and elegant elements with “electric” and in some ways provocative (if only because of the logo) features. The “crazy bunny” soon expanded into casual menswear, with polo shirts, t-shirts, cashmere scarves, pants, and socks; but it is since 2016, with the move north of the Canadian border to Montreal and especially the acquisition by Thread Collective and Alen Brandman, that a new era has begun. Today Psycho Bunny is a global brand, with with with over 100 stores in North America (90 of which opened in the last three years) and a growth plan that includes another 20 or so openings in 2025. In Canada and the United States primarily, but not only: also in Mexico, Colombia, Panama, the United Arab Emirates, and South Africa. The investment in tennis is part of this ambitious expansion strategy. “We believe that tennis is a perfect environment to expand our audience,” confirmed Bertrand Cesvet.

In January 2024, a three-year contract was signed with Tennis Canada, making Psycho Bunny the technical sponsor of the national teams (juniors, pros, wheelchair players, coaches, staff) at events such as the Davis Cup and the Billie Jean King Cup. The brand then became a partner of the National Bank Open in Montreal and Toronto, with a lifestyle collection dedicated to the event. An action aimed at further strengthening the brand's link with the local market, as Anna Martini (CEO) emphasises: “We decided to consolidate our brand in our own country first. Tennis Canada and the National Bank Open are perfect to strengthen our presence in the region.” The next step was taken in June 2024 with the launch of the first tennis-inspired lifestyle line (Courtside Collection), which was presented to the public in the pop-up stores of the clubs in Montreal and Toronto.

However, the big announcement came in early 2025 with the arrival of Alexei Popyrin as the first brand ambassador, for whom an exclusive performance line is in the works. The Australian tennis player (of Russian descent) is currently in the top 25 of the ATP world rankings and has had a very successful season, which was crowned with victory at the tournament in Montreal and success against Djokovic at the US Open. So Popyrin's name is doing the rounds, raising his profile in the media and making him an attractive target for up-and-coming brands such as Psycho Bunny. Add to that the occasion on which this new pairing was unveiled - the 2025 Australian Open in “'his" Melbourne -and it's easy to see why the Canadian company is billing the synergy as a ”perfect fit” - and it's most likely just the beginning.

All partnerships in tennis

As mentioned above, Psycho Bunny is not the only brand focussing on tennis to expand its audience. The connection with the lifestyle world is now an established trend, with collaborations and capsule collections that combine elegance and performance. The two most popular Italian athletes of recent years are a good example of this: Gucci has signed a multi-year deal with Sinner and designed a range of customised clothing and accessories for him, including the duffle bag with his initials that he wore at the last edition of Wimbledon; Hugo Boss, on the other hand, has teamed up with Matteo Berrettini and launched a collection with a strong fashion reference.

If you broaden your perspective, there are giants like Ralph Lauren, Lacoste (historical landmark) and Louis Vuitton who continue to sponsor top players like Novak Djokovic and Daniil Medvedev or major events like the US Open. But there are also many up-and-coming brands riding the wave, such as Palmes (with its mix of sport and street culture) and Rallee (founded in 2024 by former tennis player Pat Rafter and musician Bernard Fanning, with its retro line); or the HEAD-Vogue and Wilson-Kith collaborations, which have strengthened the link with high fashion.

Psycho Bunny's expansion into tennis fits perfectly into this trend, as the positioning is clear: not a technical brand, but a lifestyle brand that sees tennis as a new world of expression. Psycho Bunny's entry into tennis is therefore a declaration of intent: not just a new collection, but a long-term investment in a sport that today more than ever is also a style laboratory.