Written by Sajae Elder
It’s difficult to imagine a time when Serena Williams, arguably one of the greatest athletes of all time thanks to her 23 Grand Slam titles and counting, wasn’t simultaneously a style icon. For over 25 years, she has pushed boundaries and even caused controversy through fashion. Since her earliest introductions to the professional tennis circuit in the 1990s, Williams has rocked everything from an array of color-blocked dresses, skirt sets, and catsuits from the biggest names in sports apparel to couture gowns mixed with streetwear — all with coordinated sneakers to match.
(Image via Mark Dadswell/Getty Images)
Her looks closely followed those of older sister Venus in her early career, with both siblings known for their signature braided and beaded hairstyles. Between them, they shared early endorsements from Puma, exclusively donning the brand’s dresses, sets, and footwear in landmark matches and competitions until the early 2000s.
(Image via The Telegraph)
By 2003, Serena began a longstanding partnership with Nike. As her profile continued to rise both on and off the court, she gravitated towards more body-hugging looks that kept her quick and agile in gameplay but never short on flair. From the denim Nike skirt she donned in the 2004 U.S. Open to the dramatic black tutu she wore to the same tournament in 2018, her bold choices kept her at the forefront in the sports fashion world.
(Image via Carley Margolis/Getty Images)
Despite her style strides, Serena wasn’t immune to criticism. Earlier the same year, Serena’s form-fitting black and red catsuit drew mire from tournament officials at the French Open, going on outfits like it from the competition going forward.
“I feel like a warrior in it, a warrior princess from Wakanda, maybe,” she’d told reporters about the outfit at the time. “I’ve always wanted to be a superhero, and it’s kind of my way of being a superhero.”
But the catsuit served a much more functional, health-related purpose for the star. Following the birth of her daughter Olympia, Serena would endure a nearly fatal six-day crisis resulting in blood clots in her lungs, making her more susceptible to future clotting. The suit’s body-skimming design was a way of assisting with healthy blood flow as she played. “I’ve had a lot of problems with my blood clots,” she explained at a press conference in May 2018.
“I’ve been wearing pants, in general, a lot when I play so I can keep the blood circulation going.” Still, the tournament introduced a dress code, with French Tennis Federation President Bernard Giudicelli reportedly saying, “I think that sometimes we’ve gone too far.” In specific reference to Serena’s outfit, he added it would “no longer be accepted” in gameplay. “One must respect the game and the place,” he said.
(Image via Quartz)
That same year, all of her uniforms came from a collaboration between her, Nike, and OFF-WHITE’s Virgil Abloh, who infused streetwear and high fashion elements into the otherwise practical ensembles. Consisting of apparel and accessories, the glittery NikeCourt Flare 2 PE emblazoned with her name would be the standout item from the collection and the item she wore most often.
Beyond the court, Serena showed a commitment to daring looks, ones that amplified her love of glam and ability to go from elite athlete to Hollywood siren and everything in between.
Her appearance in Beyonce’s visual album Lemonade, dancing alongside the music star in the video for “Sorry” in a bodysuit and heels, would only further catapult her as a beacon in conversations about strong and curvy bodies in high fashion; telling the Associated Press back in 2016 that the video’s director told her the clip’s concept was “all about strength…and courage. That’s what we see you as.”
No stranger to taking risks on the red carpet, her first MET Gala invite in 2011 saw the star rock a white, feathered Oscar de la Renta gown with a matching fascinator. Still, it was her 2019 look — a bright yellow Atelier Versace gown with pink floral detailing paired with neon Nike x OFF-WHITE sneakers — that would secure her place as a fashion maven.
As she continues to take fashion risks, Serena’s lasting impact will go beyond her long list of athletic accomplishments, effortlessly blurring the lines between on-court powerhouse and red carpet darling.