After Dominating Tennis, Serena Williams Is Making Her Style Goals Come True
Picture: Getty Photos/Bryan Bedder/Courtesy of IMG
After powerfully strutting throughout a sapphire blue tennis courtroom perched on the rooftop of New York Metropolis’s Spring Studios, 10 fashions confronted an keen viewers carrying fall appears to be like from Serena Williams’ assortment, S by Serena. An off-shoulder black gown with gloved sleeves glowed with sophistication. A fitted, one-shoulder gown coloured a daring pink radiated magnificence and attractive confidence.
Happening at Glam Slam, a tennis-meets-fashion occasion introduced by IMG and Spring Studios in partnership with Chase Sapphire, the high-energy present opened with Williams’ favourite gown: the Landry, a little bit black gown with sheer sleeve cutouts and a ruched, criss-cross sample skirt.
“We simply do not need to restrict anybody,” Williams says of her S by Serena design philosophy. “Everybody has a chance to look good regardless of who you’re, the place you are from, what you appear to be or what your physique is.”
Picture: Getty Photos/Bryan Bedder/Courtesy of IMG
All through her designs, Williams has a penchant for ruching, cutouts and sensually tracing the physique’s silhouette whereas sustaining consolation and taking part in with the traces of a garment.
All through her profession, watching Williams play tennis was by no means simply about witnessing her highly effective serve, counterpunches or total technical mastery: There was all the time pleasure in soaking in her fearless fashions. Diamond drop earrings swinging on the rhythm of her motion. Pleated skirts revealing a pop of vivid pink at her twirls. Tulle skirts designed by Virgil Abloh and Nike that introduced fairytale fantasy to the courtroom.
In her youth, Williams wasn’t solely learning the nice tennis gamers that got here earlier than her; she was additionally learning style design, incomes a level on the Artwork Institute of Fort Lauderdale, earlier than rising to the highest of worldwide sports activities rankings and befriending style leaders.
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“To start with, I used to be all the time impressed by popular culture and every little thing that was occurring across the ’80s and ’90s,” she says. “I am nonetheless actually impressed by popular culture.”
There was additionally a time, Williams explains, when she was absorbed and impressed by iconic Black girls like Dorothy Dandridge, Diana Ross and plenty of extra.
Picture: Getty Photos/Bryan Bedder/Courtesy of IMG
As somebody oriented to chasing and attaining her goals, evolving from tennis is permitting Williams to concentrate on different targets, from style to investing in game-changing corporations via Serena Ventures. With regards to designing, she additionally leans on the assist of these round her, together with her five-year-old daughter Olympia, whom she credit with serving to decide a number of the appears to be like.
On the finish of her (seemingly) final skilled tennis match, glistening in a customized Nike look, Williams tearfully mentioned, “I would not be Serena if there wasn’t Venus [Williams]. She’s the one purpose Serena Williams ever existed.” In style, she continues to credit score her sister for uplifting and pushing her. (Venus is equally gifted immensely throughout tennis and style: She has her personal clothes line, Eleven by Venus Williams, that focuses on tennis-centered athletic put on.)
Picture: Getty Photos/Bryan Bedder/Courtesy of IMG
In dialog with Harper’s Bazaar Digital Director Nikki Ogunnaike forward of the presentation, Williams informed the viewers: “Venus has helped me out quite a bit. She’s doing… fully activewear. I like activewear, however we do not do activewear at S. So it is very nice to see. Among the most wonderful designs and activewear are truthfully at Eleven.”
When the presentation neared its finish, fashions walked to the again of the courtroom and lined up as soon as extra. Sporting a mixture of neutral-toned New Yorker uniforms and vivid colours like pink (Williams’ favourite coloration), the group clapped underneath noon solar. Joined by Olympia, Williams led fashions offstage, gliding whereas carrying her S by Serena Tatum gown in mocha.
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