Serena Williams Makes Bold Style Statement at French Open a Year After Catsuit Drama
Serena Williams is once again making bold statements with her latest tennis tournament ensemble.
The 37-year-old tennis pro wore a custom-made black-and-white Nike outfit designed by Off-White founder and Louis Vuitton menswear artistic director Virgil Abloh for her match during the 2019 French Open at Roland Garros stadium on Monday. The multi-layered look included a skirt, matching sports bra and flowy jacket, and featured the phrases "Champion, Championne," "Queen, Reine," "Goddess, Deesse" and "Mother, Mere."
The statement-making attire came almost a year after Williams wore a black catsuit, which was later banned by the French Tennis Federation for not following the dress code.
"Let the Roland Garros begin. Here is my French Open look designed by @virgilabloh and @nike," Williams wrote on Instagram alongside a slideshow of the stylish design. In the photos, Williams is accompanied by Abloh and also wears a matching tiered maxi skirt.
Let the Roland Garros begin. Here is my French Open look designed by @virgilabloh and @nike.
A post shared by Serena Williams (@serenawilliams) on May 26, 2019 at 6:00am PDT
Williams made headlines last year when she wore a curve-hugging one-piece. The form-fitting ensemble was designed to help circulation and avoid blood clots, which Williams had been experiencing for 12 months before the grand slam. However, it wasn't just a functional uniform; it also made a statement for her as a female athlete and mother as it was her first-round victory since giving birth to daughter Olympia followed by serious health complications.
"It feels like this suit represents all the women that have been through a lot mentally, physically, with their body to come back and have confidence and to believe in themselves," she said at the Roland-Garros press conference.
She continued to call the piece her "Wakanda-inspired catsuit" reminiscent of the superhero film Black Panther and added, "I’m always living in a fantasy world. I always wanted to be a superhero and it’s kind of my way of being a superhero."
See more on Williams' suit and its eventual ban from the competition in the video below.
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