Wales Bonner Courts Wimbledon with Bose Audio Collaboration

The British-Jamaican designer brings her nuanced approach to tennis technology with custom headphones for Gauff and Shelton.

Gauff in session, styled in SS25 separates, her QuietComfort Ultra headphones punctuating the polished, verdant setting. Credit: Matte Projects

Grace Wales Bonner rarely follows conventional fashion trajectories. The London-based designer unveiled her partnership with Bose last month, creating custom QuietComfort Ultra headphones for tennis stars Coco Gauff and Ben Shelton. The collaboration reimagines Wimbledon's traditional all-white dress code through a lens that has always privileged cultural research over commercial appeal.

Finished in ivory and white, the headphones feature textured leather and pony hide wrapping with hand-stitched edges and silver stud accents. The materials and construction methods align with Wales Bonner's established aesthetic while transforming what would typically be a purely functional object.

Coco Gauff models the bespoke collaboration on set, styled in Wales Bonner SS25 classics alongside Campbell Addy’s photography. Source:

Photographer Campbell Addy captured the campaign, marking his third collaboration with Wales Bonner after shooting her Spring/Summer 2023 collection and Adidas partnership. Stylist Tom Guinness dressed Gauff in Wales Bonner's signature cotton separates from her SS25 collection, while Shelton wears pieces from her forthcoming menswear range.

For Wales Bonner, this audio collaboration represents a natural extension of her practice. In previous interviews, she has explained how rhythmic patterns from music directly inform her garment construction. Her runway shows frequently incorporate specially commissioned soundtracks, including work with musician Dev Hynes for her "Practice" film shot in Johannesburg. As Bonner told Dazed in 2015, she is "interested in how black identity is manifested through rhythms, how something like jazz can disrupt conventional European rhythmicality."

The WB-branded QuietComfort Ultra with pony hair trim and stitching in ivory. Source: Fashionography / Wales Bonner

The timing of this collaboration follows Wales Bonner's pattern of selective partnerships. Her ongoing work with Adidas has produced coveted iterations of the Samba sneaker since 2020, characterised by premium materials and hand-finishing techniques. Unlike many designer collaborations that simply apply decorative elements to existing products, Wales Bonner consistently reconstructs from the foundation.

Her academic approach extends throughout her practice. With a team that includes researchers dedicated to cultural and historical context, Wales Bonner creates work that sits between fashion, art history, and cultural anthropology. She once noted, "I see my research practice as an artistic practice because when I connect with it, I'm connected to a form of energy that guides me," suggesting that her design process involves spiritual intelligence alongside technical skill.

Coco Gauff and Ben Shelton share a moment off-court while testing the custom Wales Bonner x Bose headphones. Athleticism, ease, and design sensibility collide. Credit: Bose

Wales Bonner's work consistently questions what luxury means beyond commercial classification. Her approach to cultural materials, whether textiles, references, or in this case, technology, suggests a sophistication that comes through considered engagement than conspicuous branding.

The limited edition Wales Bonner x Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones launch exclusively at select Bose retailers and walesbonner.net on July 10th, priced at £549, with only 200 pairs available worldwide.