Long before tunnel walks were trending and athletes were sitting front row at fashion weeks, Venus and Serena Williams were deftly blending athleticism and style. Tonight, at Vogue World 2024 in Paris, the sisters continued to put their mark on the intersection of sports and fashion, aptly walking in the tennis section of the show.
“I’ve always had a love for fashion and throughout my tennis career, that affinity grew even more,” Venus tells Vogue. “I truly believe that in order to perform your best, you need to feel your best; before a match, I always think [about] how I’ll feel in the clothes I wear, how I’ll move in them, how they’ll support me, et cetera. What you wear is so important in tennis.”
As a nod to the sport she dominated for over two decades, Venus walked the Vogue World 2024 show in a custom Marine Serre look crafted from repurposed tennis bags.
Photo: Courtesy of Marine Serre
“This piece is a heartfelt tribute to my sporting roots,” Serre tells Vogue. “As many may know, I devoted most of my teenage years to the tennis courts, rigorously training and competing in tournaments before ultimately pursuing a career in fashion. Tennis bags were an integral part of my attire for years. These bags are woven into the fabric of my childhood memories and have profoundly shaped my approach to fashion.”
The structured silhouette—made over the course of “hundreds of hours” in the Paris atelier—features body-contouring panels as well as piping and embroidery from the original bags.
“Venus epitomizes the essence of female empowerment and strength,” Serre says, noting that the tennis star was the first Black player in history to reach the number one world ranking, and also spoke in favor of equal prize money for male and female players. “Who has a similar career except for Serena? I have the deepest admiration and respect for them. Venus represents the archetype of womanhood that I want to celebrate every day through my label.”