Has there ever been a more stylish golfer in the men’s game? Okay, there was obviously Fred Couples, Lee Trevino and Arnold Palmer. Gary Player and Johnny Miller would always take pride in their appearance, too, and a fair few others come to mind. Seve, though... he was the smartest of the lot.
No one suited a bright pair of trousers or a cashmere sweater quite like the legendary Spaniard. On someone else, some of his outfits might have looked ridiculous. Not on Seve. He could carry off anything.
One piece, in particular, stands out: the navy blue Slazenger v-neck sweater that he wore en route to winning The Open at St Andrews in 1984. It’s iconic. He looked, to put it frankly, the absolute business.
One of golf's most iconic images, Seve at the 1984 Open at St Andrews
Forty years after that famous victory, the second of his three Open Championship titles, the Seve Foundation has launched Seve, a unique clothing collection designed to honor his legacy and inspire golfers to be more charismatic on and off the golf course.
“Our father was not only one of the greatest golfers of all time, but renowned for his unparalleled fashion sense and unique style,” say his children, Carmen, Javier and Miguel.
“The Seve brand and debut collection embody everything that he was: bold, daring, brave, and unafraid to rally against the status quo. We are so excited for golfers all over Europe to be able to emulate his style and collection.”
In May, I was invited to Pedreña, Spain to take a tour of the family house, explore the village where he grew up, and visit the golf course where he would sneak on and play as a child.
I was also treated to a sneak peek of the new Seve range.
Javier Ballesteros models the new Seve collection on the beach
When I arrived at the property, an understated house at the top of a hill overlooking a sleepy bay, I was met by a dark haired gentleman. It was, unmistakably, Seve's son, Javier.
The day before Javier had been down on the beach modelling the new clothing range, in the same place where his father would practice hitting balls off the sand with a 3-iron.
Seve on the same beach back in 1992
We were shown a few photographs of the shoot. It must be said, Javier had done a good job. “When the women’s collection comes out, I’m going to be the model,” his sister, Carmen says, laughing.
Javier and Carmen Ballesteros at the family home in in Pedreña, northern Spain
The first collection, made in cotton, cashmere and 4-way stretch technical fabrics, comprises trousers, shorts, polos, knitted sweaters, caps, and visors, and is available in five colorways.
It’s easy to picture Seve in one of these outfits, certainly the burgundy trousers paired with a crisp white polo. Undoubtedly, he would have approved of the navy sweater, too, which is clearly Carmen's favorite.
The golf clothing category is a very crowded section of the marketplace. How, then, does this latest new arrival stand out?
Well, don't expect to see any hoodies... not yet anyway. “I'm not sure he'd have worn one of those,” says Javier with a smile. Perhaps not. Seve, I imagine, would have favored a smarter look. It's a question that Project Leader, Niclas Rodin, picks up.
“When we started planning the clothing brand, we asked ourselves, how would Seve look today, says Rodin, a lifelong Seve fan and the person who was tasked with conceptualising and launching the brand.
Tonal is the main look of the new Seve collection
“We needed to present something that was relevant for 2024. We decided on tonal as the main look. What we have is unique, and we believe it will appeal to Seve fans as well as the next generation of golfers.
“Given his great success around the world and in so many events, we have plenty of ideas to work with that will excite golfers.”
If you've being playing it safe for a bit too long, maybe it's time to be more Seve and take a few risks.
The first collection is available in five colorways
Personally, I like the navy. I'm not sure I could carry off the burgundy, not like Javier does. However, that's not to say you can't.
The Seve collection is available to purchase from the 22 July via sevecollection.com and through leading golf retailers across the UK and Europe.
You can read more about our fascinating trip to Pedreña and Seve’s home in the September issue of Golf Monthly.
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