As if being one of the greatest athletes of all time wasn’t enough, Serena Williams has also cemented her status as one of the greatest dressed athletes of all time. So for her big return to the US Open, where she’ll compete for her 24th Grand Slam, it’s only fitting that the tennis icon wear something special.
Enter Off-White designer and artistic director of Louis Vuitton Men’s, Virgil Abloh, who joined forces with Nike to design a collection for Williams to wear for the occasion. Aptly called “QUEEN,” the Virgil Abloh x Nike collection for Serena includes tennis dresses, sparkling sneakers, and Abloh’s signature quotation graphics reading “LOGO” and “SERENA.”
“With Serena, we have one of our generation’s most powerful, inspiring athletes as the muse,” Abloh said in a statement from the brand, “I was trying to embody her spirit and bring something compelling and fresh to tennis.”
Taking Serena’s love for both dance and tennis, the ballerina-inspired collection includes a one-shouldered dress complete with a tutu. And if anyone can win a match while wearing a tutu, it’s Serena Williams.
Nike x Virgil Abloh
“What I love about tennis is the gracefulness. It’s an aggressive and powerful game, but it takes touch and finesse,” Abloh said, “So the dress is feminine, but combines her aggression. It’s partially revealing. It’s asymmetrical. It has a sort of ballerina-esque silhouette to symbolize her grace. It’s not about bells and whistles and tricks. It’s just about it living on the body, and expressing Serena’s spirit with each swing of the racket.”
Virgil Abloh x Nike
The collection also includes a sleek bomber jacket that can be worn both on and off the court, a bag, the NikeCourt Flare 2, and limited editions of The 10: Nike Air Max 97 and The 10: Nike Blazer Mid SW.
Nike x Virgil Abloh
Not only will the tennis champion wear the pieces for her return to the US Open, it will also be produced as a limited-edition capsule collection for fans to shop. Ranging from $130 – $900, the items will officially be available to shop online and in select Nike stores once Williams debuts them on the court in the coming weeks.
Nike x Off-White
From: Harper’s BAZAAR US
