When you think of Andy Murray at Wimbledon, you might not immediately think of a fresh manicure.
And yet the tennis pro is always subverting our expectations – and at this year’s competition, he’s all about on-trend nails.
Murray has teamed up celebrity manicurist Michelle Humphrey – who does celebrity nails for the likes of Adele and Dua Lipa – on tennis-inspired nails for this year’s Wimbledon (June 27-July 10), in collaboration with American Express.
For Humphrey, it was a few months of prep “trying out new things”, she says. “Different concepts, and a different take on how to make something look tennis-y – without making it look tennis-y.”
The designs are inspired by Wimbledon and Murray himself, and pick up on some of the coolest nail trends of the summer – including abstract patterns and making use of negative space.
Humphrey has come up with four nail designs: one is a play on strawberries and cream, one features a tennis ball, another is inspired by the tennis net, and the final look makes use of the iconic purple and green colours of Wimbledon (“it’s more of an abstract take on things, as opposed to being so literal,” she says).
It was important for Humphrey to keep the nails gender-neutral, saying: “We wanted the designs to be so anyone can have them done”.
This is a trend she’s increasingly seeing in the world of nails. “I feel like nails, manicures – they’re for everybody. I’m doing a lot more male clients as time progresses, not just female clients – that’s not just for grooming, that’s for designs and conceptual things. So times are changing.”
Murray even got in on the action, when Humphrey spent an afternoon with him taking him through the designs. “He has a really dry sense of humour,” she reveals. “He was asking me, ‘What is nail art?’ So I’ve given him a background of what nail art is and vice versa, I was like: ‘Tell me some things about your tennis journey’. And that inspired me to come up with some of the designs.”
Perhaps unsurprisingly, Murray’s favourite design – and the one he had painted on him by Humphrey – is one of the more literal looks: the tennis ball.
For Humphrey, her preference is the more conceptual look inspired by the Wimbledon colours. “I like anything abstract,” she says – and this is a perfect one to do yourself, because you don’t have to match the swirls perfectly on each nail. “You could move them around, place them in different places so it’s not like each nail is exactly the same – you could have some fun with it.”
Tennis fans can get their nails done at a bespoke nail bar set up by Amex at Wimbledon, but Humphrey adds: “We’re hoping people will be able to recreate these at home – whether that’s with their own nail technician, or whether they give it a go [themselves] – they’re not overly complicated.”
Here’s how you can do the abstract look yourself – either in Wimbledon colours to celebrate the tennis, or in whatever colours you have for the rest of the year…
1. Apply base coat, and then paint on a neutral colour, “Like a sheer nude or something like that”, Humphrey says.
2. Next, create a semi-circular shape on either corner of the nail, plotting where you want the green sections to go. If the polish brush is curved you can use that to create the shape – if it’s not, you can use a nail art brush for more precision and to fill in.
3. “Once that’s dry, take your nail art liner and outline with the purple,” says Humphrey. She advises “a little bit of patience on the outline”. Top tip: “When using a nail art brush, make sure you clean it with remover frequently to prevent the brush from clogging up as the polish dries.”
4. Clean up any mistakes on the skin using a Q-tip or cuticle stick dipped in remover.
5. Finish with a top coat, and enjoy your fresh set of nails.
Andy Murray is working with American Express to help tennis fans make unforgettable memories at the all-new Amex Fan Experience on site at The Championships, Wimbledon. To find out more, visit wimbledon.com/americanexpress
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