Long before luxury brands were lining up to partner with athletes, Serena Williams was already using fashion to make a statement. She stepped onto tennis courts with swinging beads in her braids, homemade outfits and a confidence that felt at once unorthodox and revitalising. Tennis is a sport built around tradition and conformity, and at the time, the media often framed her and her sisters' appearance as controversial rather than creative, but those early moments would come to define their approach to style: visibility itself could be a form of power.
Serena's relationship with Nike helped turn tennis apparel into something bigger than performance wear. It became a platform for self-expression. One of the most memorable examples was the denim skirt and custom tennis boots she wore at the 2004 US Open – a look that still ranks among the most talked-about outfits in sports history. Serena later explained that she wanted "more pizazz" from her on-court wardrobe, taking inspiration from Andre Agassi's rebellious denim era.
Then there were the catsuits. The first, designed with Puma in 2002, sparked debate. The second, worn at the 2018 French Open in collaboration with Nike, became a global talking point and was effectively banned from play. Created in part to support circulation following serious childbirth complications, Serena described the suit as making her feel like a "warrior princess." To some, it was provocative. To others, it was innovative. Either way, it pushed conversations about motherhood, athletic performance and the female body into the mainstream.
Her influence extended well beyond tennis. Off-White's Virgil Abloh designed the now-iconic tutu she wore at the 2018 US Open for Nike. She later became a global ambassador for Stuart Weitzman, joined Poshmark's board, launched her own fashion ventures and fronted campaigns for Gucci.
But what's made Serena's style so compelling isn't simply its boldness. It was the thinking behind it. Every skirt, catsuit, crystal embellishment and braid carried a message: excellence doesn't have to conform to expectation to be recognised. And now that the tennis GOAT is ready to make a come-back to the court, we decided it was a perfect time for a style retrospective.
Wearing studded Nike at the 2004 US Open
With sister Venus, competing at the 1998 Australian Open
At the 2018 US Open
Wearing a Nike denim skirt at the 2004 US Open
With sister, Venus, at the US Open in 2000
At the 2021 Australian Open
In a tutu at the US Open
At Wimbledon in 2021
At the French Open in 2004
At the 2005 NASDAQ-100 Open
At the 2014 US Open
At the 2021 French Open in Paris
At the 2018 French Open
At the 2014 French Open
At the 1998 Lipton Tennis Championships
At the 2007 Kremlin Cup
At the 2013 Brisbane International
At Wimbledon in 2013
At the 2002 Wimbledon
At the Australian Open 2016
At the 2013 Australian Open
