Serena Williams and Nike to release “Athleisure” and Sneakers

Big news: Serena Williams, tennis phenom, pairs with Nike to release new sneakers and “Athleisure,” clothing line.

Serena’s unique design team (SWDC), the Serena Williams Design Crew, are the creative conceptualizers of the line. According to Shannon Dawson, a Yahoo contributing writer:

“Nike handpicked the group for their ‘diversity in design’ apprenticeship program–an initiative created to help underrepresented designers of color get their work out into the fashion world.”

This is especially significant given the low representation of designers of color. According to Zippia.com, only 6.3% of the fashion designers in the world are Black or African American.

Fashion is Serena’s Twin Flame

Fashion has been a second love for her. But the support has not always been great. And in a 2018 interview with Bazaar, the tennis giant speaks openly on that lack of support for her fashion pursuits. Yet, that did not stop her. As Serena once proclaimed,

“…I had two loves–tennis and fashion–and had to find a way to make them coexist.”

And she did just that.

Serena is an inspiration on and off the court.

In 2000, Serena attended the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale. With the knowledge she obtained and the drive, she made another dream come true. For in 2018, she came out with her first inspired fashion brand.  And she did this as a first-time mother to her beautiful daughter, Alexis Olympia Ohanian.

Her new brand is no less inspired.

According to reports, the new clothing line will be a diverse line made up of athletic gear and streetwear, in addition to the “Athleisure line,” a line of sneakers is also being released.

Photo Credit: Nike

They are not your ordinary footwear; they are pieces of inspiration.  Nike recently shared that Serena is the inspiration behind the design. As Peter Verry, another Yahoo contributor, writes,

“According to Nike, her story is woven into every detail. And so the new sneakers exist to celebrate her accomplishments as an athlete, as a style icon, and as a champion of change.”

So, for those eager to scoop up the new line, the wait will not be a long one. Sources show that the release of the line will be in just a few weeks. Or, more specifically, the line will be available on September 1 on Nike.com.

Check out Serena Williams in retrospective fashion news.

Renae Richardson