Ex ex-tennis player Serena Williams became fashion icon and opened her own clothing line
Tennis legend Serena Williams told the glitzy fashion industry audience that as she grew up in the public eye, fashion became her favorite form of expression, with the tennis court as her runway. “As a child, I knew I was different, so I explored fashion and style as a way to set myself apart,” Williams said Monday night while accepting the Fashion Icon Award from the Council of Fashion Designers of America.
“In many ways, the tennis court became my runway, and the US Open was my own New York Fashion Week. “Reimagining traditional tennis attire “has become a way to express my personality, my confidence, and, most importantly, my culture,” she said.
Serena Williams became the first athlete to win the Fashion Icon Award
Williams, who retired from tennis last year, is the first athlete to win the Fashion Icon Award, which was presented to her by CFDA honoree Kim Kardashian last year. Kardashian called Williams “fearless, heroic, authentic, iconic, and the greatest of all time.” The fashion industry’s equivalent of Oscar night was held at the American Museum of Natural History in Manhattan and hosted by Anne Hathaway. At the best designer awards, Catherine Holstein of the Khaite brand was named womenswear designer of the year, and Willy Chavarría won the menswear award. The accessories award went to Ashley Olsen and Mary-Kate Olsen of The Row Label.
Difficult choice Serena had to made
When Williams, 42, retired from tennis, she said she needed to make the difficult decision 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 Rivers Ohanian is Williams’ second daughter, as is her husband, Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian. Her first, Olympia, was born in 2017.
Serena explain how the Tennis and her mother help her to be creative
In her speech, she lovingly described how she learned to express her creativity on the court. “I styled denim skirts and wore purple tutus and bodysuits,” she said, “and added beads and braids to the hair.” “It was really a fun time for me.” Williams studied fashion during her sports career and in 2018 launched her clothing line “S by Serena,” which she said in her speech aimed to “inspire women to embrace their bodies and inspire love, regardless of their size or race.” . . . “”
Among her many thanks, she saved the last thank you for her mother: “In fact, she made me my first tennis dresses when she was little.” Watching them sew, she said, “She instilled in me a creativity that I still have today.”