Serena Williams on New York Magazine

Bodysuit by Baja East. Cuffs by Robert Lee Morris and by Elsa Peretti for Tiffany & Co. Rings Platt Boutique Jewelry. Photo: Norman Jean Roy

Serena Williams’ next move: starring on the cover of the Aug. 10 fashion issue of New York Magazine. In the story, she discusses her career, family and post-tennis aspirations ahead of next month’s U.S. Open.

A win at the Open would give Williams, 33, the sweep of the four tennis grand slams, elevating her already brilliant professional career to an entirely different level.

Aside from background on Williams’s career, much of the story focuses on her aspirations to continue breaking into the fashion world. Williams told New York Magazine’s Kerry Howley that her design aspirations have always centered on making wedding dresses.

Serena wanted not just to design clothes but to design wedding dresses. “That was my first real love,” she says, “but then I was like, Listen. I’m playing professional tennis. I’ll just do athleticwear.” In her sartorial interests, as in all things, she followed Venus, who encouraged her to take some college design classes. Together, they brought to the game black lace, flesh-colored underwear, and knee-high sneaker boots. Today, Venus has her own line, EleVen — “Ten is just another number, but EleVen is a lifestyle” — an affordable athleticwear line far tamer than much of what Serena and Venus wear on the court. “We brought fashion back to tennis,” Serena says. “It was great when Chris Evert was around. Tracy Austin had some great designs. But the ’90s was not a good time.”

 

 

Photos from the story are included below; be sure to read the full story on NYMag.com.