Fashion and sport together for The Aegon Classic

The relationship between sport and fashion has a somewhat chequered history, writes our fashion and shopping blogger Emma Iannarilli.

For every amazing ad campaign (I'm thinking David Beckham for Armani and basically dribbling), you have to accept some decidedly dodgy fashion/sports crossovers like shellsuits, or 'Kids from Fame' style legwarmers.

But these days it seems that fashion and sport can have a mutually beneficial relationship. Stella McCartney has won rave reviews for her kit for Team GB for the Olympics, and this follows on from a successful partnership with Adidas, which features tennis player Caroline Wozniacki. And now Harvey Nichols and Aegon have joined together to create the first Aegon classic ladies day to take place as part of the Edgbaston tournament this June.

The Aegon Classic is a strange beast. A tournament that is able to attract the cream of the ladies tour, with Maria Sharapova and Billie Jean King being amongst previous ladies to hold aloft the Maud Watson trophy, and yet struggles to drum up any real excitement or interest in the local community. But this may be about to change.

I was at the launch for the Ladies day last week at Birmingham's beautiful Hotel Du Vin, and there was a real excitement about the event. Aegon are truly set on making the Edgbaston Ladies Day an event on the calendar not to be missed. As well as world class tennis, there will be pampering beauty treats, lessons in cocktail making and competitions for the best dressed spectators. The first 400 ladies through the door will receive a Harvey Nichols goody bag, one of which will contain a spectacular ring specially commissioned from Vault88.com, a jewellers right in the heart of the jewellery quarter.

The purists would argue that none of this has anything to do with tennis, and they would be right. But crowds are needed through the doors in order for this proud tournament to survive and flourish. The Aegon Classic ladies day may just be a way of attracting a new audience to the tournament, the treats may get people through the gates, let's hope the tennis gets them hooked!

Emma Iannarilli writes the Fashion and Lifestyle blog www.fashion-mommy.com