Since the first trailer was released almost a year ago, Challengers has become one of the most talked-about films of the decade. With a dream cast comprising Zendaya, Josh O’Connor (a.k.a. young Prince Charles from The Crown), and Mike Faist (known for different musical roles on Broadway as well as Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story), everyone is eager to watch Challengers and the anticipation has only grown bigger thanks to the extensive press tours the three leads have been embarking on.
Luca Guadagnino’s film, beyond tennis and the relationships between its protagonists, is also giving much to talk about when it comes to fashion — not only because Zendaya has taken the spotlight on numerous occasions thanks to her show-stopping (and on-theme) looks, but because the film’s clothing has been designed by Jonathan W. Anderson, creative director of Loewe and his own eponymous brand.
Though Challengers has provided a lot of inspiration for fans of preppy and old-money styles, there is one piece that stands out above the rest, and it is one of the simplest: a gray graphic T-shirt with the message “I TOLD YA.” This is a piece that Zendaya wears in one of the film’s scenes but has also decided to include in a relaxed look on the streets of New York.
Josh O’Connor already teased how viral the sloganed tee would become when he opted for a shirt with the same message at the film’s London premiere. Jonathan Anderson also rocked the gray tee to the Rome premiere as well as the opening of Loewe’s new exhibition, Crafted World, in Shanghai, where he wore the slogan on a white sweatshirt. But where does the Challengers‘ “I TOLD YA” shirt originate from?
Well, the design first rose to prominence more than three decades ago, in the 1990s, when John F. Kennedy Jr., the son of the former president of the United States, wore a white T-shirt with the same message. In fact, he didn’t just wear it once — paparazzi actually snapped him in the piece on several occasions: first, playing with his dog and then also hanging out with his wife, Carolyn Bessette.
Anderson admitted that John F. Kennedy Jr.’s style served as inspiration for the entire film, but especially for the clothing of Patrick Zweig, Josh O’Connor’s character. In an interview with WWD, the designer said: “When JFK Jr. was younger, in the ‘80s and ‘90s, there was kind of an effortlessness to his wardrobe — like he could wear anything and sex appeal would always be there.”
Anderson went on to explain that this perfectly matched O’Connor’s character demeanor, given that he doesn’t really care much about his physical appearance because, at the end of the day, he’s not the biggest tennis star in Challengers.
Of course, it’s no surprise that this is fast becoming one of the most sought-after pieces of the moment because, at the end of the day, if Zendaya’s worn it, the rest of the world wants it, too.
Given that the design is decades old, there are already multiple iterations of the “I TOLD YA” Challengers tees on sites like Etsy and Amazon, but, as expected, Loewe also put out a special edition of “I TOLD YA” T-shirts and sweatshirts in honor of Challengers. The four designs are available on Loewe.com and select Loewe stores across the world.
