NEW YORK (AP) — Serena Williams was honored Monday at the Council of Fashion Designers of America awards for her career and contributions to American fashion.
Williams, who retired last year, was the first athlete to win the CFDA Fashion Icon Award. Kim Kardashian presented the award. In addition to her groundbreaking tennis career, Williams has been honored for her work as a designer, entrepreneur and philanthropist.
The fashion world’s equivalent of the Oscars took place at the American Museum of Natural History in Manhattan and was hosted by Anne Hathaway.
When Williams, now 42, retired from tennis, she said she needed to make the difficult choice to focus on motherhood. She gave birth to a baby girl in August, almost exactly a year after her last match as a tennis star. Adira River Ohanian is Williams’ second child and second daughter with her husband, Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian . Their first child, Olympia, was born in 2017.
Williams was already a newsmaker in the fashion world before retiring from tennis. In 2018, she launched her “S by Serena” clothing line, and in 2019 she launched a jewelry line. In a statement before the event, designer and current CFDA president Thom Browne called Williams “one of the most inspiring people in the world… who represents greatness at the highest level.” Browne said she has been “the ultimate in personality.” A model for “everything she does” and “a true fashion icon”.
Catherine Holstein of Khaite won the coveted Womenswear Designer of the Year award.
Willy Chavarria won Menswear Designer of the Year for his looks for the likes of Bad Bunny and Venus Williams.
CFDA Awards are presented by Amazon Fashion.
Last year, Kardashian won an award for her shapewear line and used the opportunity to call on designers to be inclusive of all body types.