DEVELOPMENT

Two coastal patterned pickleball paddles and white pickleballs that say "Versace" on them.
The Barocco de la Mer Pickleball Set doesn't come cheap. Versace US

Versace paddle set has eye-raising $9,000 price tag

DALLAS, TX – Is pickleball really a luxury space? Versace seems to think so. 

The iconic Italian fashion brand recently released a pickleball paddle set priced at nine thousand dollars. 

And I thought the paddles used by players like Anna Leigh Waters and Ben Johns were getting expensive.

The Versace paddle set comes with two paddles, three white Versace balls, and a black mesh drawstring bag. 

The paddles are described as “fiberglass rackets, detailed with rubber handles.”

Calling them “rackets” is a red flag, of course.

Barocco de la Mer Pickleball Set Versace US

The paddle design itself, though, is classic Versace – bold and intricate. It’s in the Barocco de la Mer pattern, which is very coastal, featuring sea shells and coral, all in a light blue, white, and orange color scheme.

I do give Versace credit for not just slapping their logo on the paddles and calling it a day because the artwork is truly stunning.

But nine thousand dollars isn't exactly affordable.

With all the celebrities and socialites taking up the sport, I can definitely there being a market for these kinds of specialty items. I'm skeptical about the quality, though, compared to notable brands Selkirk, Paddletek, Engage, etc.

I think I’ll stick with my Rokne paddle for now.

What do you think of the Versace pickleball paddles? Let us know on Instagram and X (formerly Twitter).