Serena Williams etched her name in the annals of tennis history as one of the greatest players of all time. The 23-time Grand Slam winner has broken a slew of records, has a trophy cabinet stacked with trophies, and has undoubtedly revolutionized the sport. Tennis, however, was just the tip of the iceberg of Williams’ achievements. The American tennis legend is also known as a fashion icon, leaving his mark on the fashion world both on and off the court.
Serena Williams always dresses to impress, whether she’s rocking a bold look on the court, designing her own fashion line, or turning heads on the red carpet. From denim skirts to leotards, diamond-encrusted tennis suits to mesh dresses, the 420-year-old is one tennis player who always lets her lines do the talking.
Without further ado, let’s jump right into Serena Williams’ most memorable fashion moments, especially off the court.
1. In 1998, Serena Williams wore a monochrome striped dress for her first Vogue photo shoot
One of Serena Williams’ first non-athletic appearances was for Vogue in 1998 with her sister Venus. Both sisters wore voluminous vertical black and white striped gowns by Carolina Herrera with spaghetti straps.
“It was such an amazing moment and I just remember being so excited to shoot for Vogue, it was so cool,” Serena Williams said in an interview with Vogue.
2. Serena Williams wears her dress at first New York fashion show of 2014
Serena Williams stole the show at New York Fashion Week 2014 in a black leather miniskirt and crop top. Williams’ outfit for the event meant a lot to the fashion world, letting them know she meant business.
“Except for the shoes, the whole outfit was designed by me. They are Alaia shoes, and when you go to a fashion show, you obviously want to wear Alaia shoes,” she told Vogue.
3. Serena Williams wears Alexander McQueen dress to take wedding vows
In 2017, Williams tied the knot with Reddit co-founder Alexia Ohanian. She wore a beautiful white dress by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen, which she paired with, of course, a huge hoop skirt and veil. Williams paired the dress with a cape from the brand.
“I flew to London to meet Sarah and ended up falling in love with the ball gown silhouette, which was completely opposite to what I had ever thought of choosing for myself, I loved the idea of doing a really spectacular ball gown and it turned out to be one A very special piece,” she told Vogue.
4. Serena Williams wears stunning pink dress to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s wedding
Williams showed up to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s royal wedding in a brand new look. She wore a stylish dusty pink Versace outfit with a matching pink headpiece.
“British style is definitely different in that women have to wear headgear, which is a hat, and I like that they call it a tiara,” she told Vogue.
5. Serena Williams attends the 2019 Met Gala in a yellow Versace dress and Nike tennis sneakers
Never one to stick to the norm, Serena Williams wore a dazzling yellow and pink Versace gown at the 2019 Met Gala, which she paired with bright yellow Nike sneakers. On the red carpet, she made sure her shoes were visible.
“Wearing Nike to the Met Gala is… no one does that, you know, everyone likes to wear their best outfit. And my best outfit happens to be Versace and Nike,” she told Vogue 》.
6. Serena Williams Rocks Gucci Like a Boss at the 2021 MET Gala
Serena Williams went all out with a Gucci suit at the 2021 MET Gala, wearing a lace bodysuit paired with a feather cape.
7. Serena Williams wears Virgil Abloh at Paris Fashion Week 2022
At Paris Fashion Week 2022, Williams wore a mesh sheath dress paired with velvet pleated leggings and a matching turtleneck that paid homage to her late designer friend Virgil Abloh.
“I had an incredible time walking the @off____white show, Virgil means so much to me and walking in a collection he’s still a part of was something I couldn’t pass up. Thank you for the opportunity. I So grateful to show love to my friend,” Williams later wrote on Instagram.
8. She wore a pink Gucci plunging gown to the 2022 Oscars
Williams struts red carpet at 2022 Oscars to support king richard, a film based on her family. Williams was a beauty, wearing a stunning deep pink gown with a long skirt that fell to the floor. The gown features a bold V-neck, elegant puff sleeves, a dramatic leg slit and a neckline decorated with black embroidered flowers. She added the finishing touches with a pair of black lace gloves.
9. Serena Williams in Versace at the 2022 Vanity Fair Oscars
Williams decided to give the Versace gown she wore earlier at the Critics’ Choice Awards another chance at the Oscars. Although it wasn’t the original plan, she went back to the well and asked Donatella Versace to make some modifications, shortening it and making it look strapless.
“I called Donatella (Versace) the night before and I thought, ‘I don’t know what to do, my clothes don’t fit, I have nothing to wear,'” Williams told Vogue.
10. Serena Williams pairs her daughter’s pink dress at Paris Fashion Week 2022
At the 2022 Paris Fashion Week event, both mother and daughter wore long-sleeved bright pink Balmain turtleneck gowns. The athlete wore scarlet booties with a miniskirt, while daughter Olympia wore delicate rose gold sandals.
“Hey @olympiaohanian, remember that time we were in Paris? We slayyyyyyeddddd. @balmain,” Williams wrote in her Instagram post.
editor
Siddharth Dhananjay