Serena Williams has 23 Grand Slam singles titles in her locker, and is definitely not one to shy away from a statement look on court.
Traditional tennis outfits for women used to consist of white polo shirts, tennis skirts and pumps. Williams changed the perception of what women should wear, and instead helped them ask: ‘What could I wear?’
At the 2018 French Open, she took to the court in a full-length black catsuit.
Her fans loved it, but French Tennis Federation president Bernard Giudicelli banned the outfit from the following year’s tournament, saying: “I believe we have sometimes gone too far. You have to respect the game and the place.”
Williams said the catsuit made her feel “like a superhero” and helped her cope with the issue of blood clots, which almost cost her her life giving birth.
And she said there was no beef with Giudicelli, saying: “When it comes to fashion you don’t want to be a repeat offender.”
On home turf at the 2018 US Open, Williams faced Naomi Osaka in a tutu designed by Virgil Abloh for his brand Off-White. The designer posted a picture of the outfit on Instagram with the caption: “Willing to design dresses for her for life.”
Off the court, Williams has her own clothing line, was named GQ’s woman of the year in 2018 and went to the 2019 Met Gala wearing Off-White Nike Air Forces.