By Keishel Williams
TW: keishelNOTkesh
Athletes and fashion go hand in hand and Serena Williams is no exception – this time, the icon has gone beyond wearing the brands and sitting front row at shows and can now officially add fashion designer to her already long, multi-hyphen portfolio.
The super-mom went from grand slamming at the U.S. Open to making her debut at New York Fashion Week in a quick-serve turnover time of fewer than three days. Williams presented her direct to consumer, size-inclusive (from XS to 3X) F/W 2019 collection from her namesake brand, at Klarna Style360 in Midtown to eager press and a front-row filled with celebrities such as Ashley Graham, Anna Wintour, Kim Kardashian West, and La La Anthony – although, Megan Markle was not there.
Using ’90s street style as inspiration, the designer showed a vibrant collection marketed to women much like herself: multitasking, do-it-allers. Women who are mothers, businesswomen, athletes and more. Her functional clothing seems to run the gamut of wardrobe choices from boardroom-ready plaid suits, knit sweaters, wrap skirts, and midi-dresses with an S-logo, to girls night out animal print bodycon, and even suede ensembles.
Inclusivity was the glaring theme in this show as the designer made it a point to showcase the same outfit on two varied sized models side by side, no doubt to demonstrate the range of which her collection spans.
“We call our larger sizes ‘Great,’ she told Elle.com. “We just want everyone to know that some pieces are exclusively ‘Great’ so ‘Great’ can feel ‘Great’ in their own piece.”
The collection also carried an essence of strength and ease of mobility, something the designer was able to capture from the women around her. Williams counts people like Anna Wintour as an inspiration, along with her mother of course. These are women who go against tradition and shows limitless potential for women.
“She’s (Wintour) broken so many boundaries and she’s so brave and so amazing and wow. These are women that I really look up to,” Williams said.
This collection embodies the woman who breaks limits. Never letting us forget her mom status first, the designer took her first fashion week bow wearing a snakeskin-print wrap skirt, sheer button-down lace top, and hightop sneakers with her daughter, Alexis, on her hip wearing a matching outfit.
S by Serena, for the multitaskers.
