Serena Williams is making history again. At Monday’s 2023 CFDA Awards, the tennis champion will become the first athlete to receive the Fashion Icon honor.
Williams has not only been a longtime admirer of fashion, but has been an avid participant in the industry. Between Grand Slam tournaments, she found time to go to fashion school, attending the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale between 2000 and 2003, knowledge that helped her prepare to launch her own brand, Aneres, and later, S by Serena.
As an athlete, Williams broke the barriers of sportswear, sloughing off the traditional tennis whites in favor of bold colors and interesting silhouettes. Through her wardrobe, Williams was not only able to display her personality, but also make it clear that she was uninterested in conventionality. Her impact has surpassed the sports world and has led her to walk runways, shine on red carpets, grace the covers of magazines, and even co-host the 2019 Met Gala. She also has collaborated directly with designers, including a partnership with Nike and Off-White beginning in 2018. The late Virgil Abloh designed everything from her Grand Slam looks to her Met sneakers.
As the newest honoree, Williams joins the ranks of fashion mavericks including Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, Zendaya, Rihanna, Sarah Jessica Parker, Pharrell Williams, and Jennifer Lopez. Below, take a look at some of Serena Williams’s most memorable outfits, on and off the court.