Georgia native creates Spinerado, a U.S.-made collection of performance wear for on and off the court
While most college freshmen are settling into their new routines, Connor Dell is busy running a business. The integrated marketing communications student launched his own tennis apparel brand last fall, shortly after starting classes at the University of Mississippi.
A Georgia native and avid tennis player, Dell founded Spinerado because he wanted to bring a fresh perspective to tennis fashion.
“Many of the older products (that) athletic brands made in the ’80s and early 2000s were unique and high quality,” said Dell, who serves as his company’s CEO and creative director. “But now, tennis wear can feel boring.
“I thought, why not create my own brand – something I’d love to wear on and off the court – and make it cool to stand out?”
Spinerado’s debut collection featured 24 pieces and is crafted and made in Dell’s hometown of Atlanta. In early February, Spinerado launched its New Coastal Collection.
Dell’s goal is to combine top-tier materials with edgy aesthetics as a way to encourage individuality both on and off the court.
“Tennis is one of the few sports where you can express your style freely, and I wanted Spinerado to embody that spirit,” he said.
The decision to produce Spinerado’s clothing domestically was about more than quality; it was about supporting local industry.
“It’s been a long process, honestly, because all my clothes are made in the U.S., and it took almost a year and a half to find an affordable manufacturer,” he said. “But seeing my vision come to life has been a fantastic feeling.”
The Ole Miss student credits tennis legend Rafael Nadal as an early inspiration, particularly for his bold and colorful on-court looks. That influence, paired with Dell’s own creativity, helped shape Spinerado’s rebellious, yet functional, designs.
Dell enrolled in the School of Journalism and New Media‘s IMC degree program to further his understanding of branding, marketing, and design.
“With the IMC degree that I’m getting, I hope it will take me a long way in positioning my brand to be the best possible,” he said. “I originally looked into the business school, but IMC seemed to have more benefits.
“So far, I am only in the intro classes, but I have learned a lot of the basics of marketing, especially with social media branding and the keys to marketing myself and Spinerado.”
Dell is looking forward to tackling some graphic design and marketing research courses, which will equip him to scale his business up while honing its unique identity.
Spinerado has been a family-backed venture from the start. Donna Dell, Connor’s mother, serves as the company’s chief commercial officer.
“Connor has always been an amazingly creative guy,” she said. “He started out as a very young kid designing super cars, hyper cars and Formula One cars, which are one of his other passions. Connor started drawing all kinds of cool designs on paper and then moved to his iPad.
“He is always thinking about ways to make things ‘cooler’ and more unique. I still have many of his drawings and love to look back at the stories around them and how he evolved his designs.”
While Donna Dell has supported her son’s vision, she has made sure to emphasize the challenges and hard work that come with not only starting, but growing and maintaining a company.
“Undeniably, this has been an amazing journey with Connor as he has created amazing pieces of art for his garments and now, he gets to see it all become a reality,” she said. “I have always told Connor to dream big and work hard for what you want your life to be like.”
The goal is to make Spinerado about more than just apparel, Connor Dell said. For him, the business represents a statement, encouraging athletes of all levels to break conventions and embrace their individuality, he said.
“The most rewarding part is seeing people wear my clothes,” he said. “Knowing that all the hard work you put in has come to something, it’s an incredible feeling.”
For more information on Spinerado, click here.
By MacKenzie Ross
