You don’t have to be a tennis enthusiast to appreciate the power of this matchup. For her return to the U.S. Open later this month, Serena Williams’ Nike uniforms will be designed by none other than Virgil Abloh.
As reported by Vogue, the 23-time Grand Slam champion—already known for her on-the-court style—will be wearing a collection titled “Queen” by Virgil Abloh for Nike from head to toe throughout this year’s competition, including tennis dresses, a jacket and a pair of customized NikeCourt Flare sneakers. All will feature Abloh’s riff on the Nike logo, which, of course, includes the word “logo.”
In an email to Vogue, Abloh describes his inspiration behind the collection and the process of collaborating with Williams:
When I was thinking about outfits for Serena, I was thinking about her playing the game and her aesthetic while she is. Also about the confidence that’s needed while playing at the top level of tennis. This is very far from a design-by-numbers project. As you can tell by her personality in her play, she’s very much involved in her aesthetic. She has a level of creativity with how she expresses herself in terms of clothing in any event, so I made everything with her logic in mind. We traded images and there was a lot of back-and-forth to get this done in short order.
Fans should look forward to a decidedly graceful look on Williams this year, as her Abloh-designed one-sleeved dress features leather details and a tutu-like tulle skirt (scroll above to see all of the collection).
As Williams told Vogue:
When I first tried on the dress, I felt very strong and feminine at the same time. It has all the really strong elements, from the leather to that really cool stretchy material,” said Williams. “I felt so feminine in the tutu, which is probably my favorite part of it. It really embodies what I always say: that you can be strong and beautiful at the same time.
But the best news for Williams’ fashion-loving fans? A limited edition of the “Queen” collection—including two Nike The Ten sneakers—will be available at select Nike locations in the United States in late August.