The US Open is Serena Williams' fashion runway

Some of Serena Williams’ most daring fashion moments have been on the US Open courts. In celebration of her collaboration with Nike and the Louis Vuitton fashion designer Virgil Abloh, we take a look back at five times her fashion turned heads at the US open

28 August 2018 - 08:39

By Zola Zingithwa

Whether she wins her 22nd grand slam or not at this year’s US Open, Serena Williams will still be the queen of the court.

Williams will appear at US Open in a collection designed by the high fashion designer, Virgil Abloh, aptly named "the Queen Collection". The collaboration is between the tennis superstar, her sponsor, Nike, as well as Abloh, who is Louis Vuitton’s first black artistic director for men’s wear.

Abloh was inspired by Williams’ love of ballet, which is why he used a "ballerina-esque silhouette" with a tulle design. He also described tennis as "an aggressive and powerful game" but one that also has "touch and finesse", the same descriptions he attributes to Williams. These ideas are realised in the final designs.

Serena has always been a trendsetter on the courts. She has pushed boundaries (and raised eye-brows) with her choice of outfits. This is why we don’t only watch her for her sporting powers, but are also ready to rate her outfits.

For example, her choice of outfit at this year’s French Open, a "Wakanda-inspired catsuit", caused a flurry of media attention dedicated to dissecting her fashion choice.

Although Serena has experimented with sports fashion throughout her career, the US Open has undoubtedly seen her most daring outfits of all the grand slams. It is therefore fitting that Abloh for Serena should debut at the US Open on its 50th edition.

While we wait to see Serena Williams stun in the new collaboration, here are five other times she turned the US Open into a runway show.