The first Monday of May is popularly known as “fashion’s biggest night out” because of the Met Gala, whereby celebrities and professionals from different spheres are invited to attend.
One of the glitterati who has become a staple of the function is tennis legend Serena Williams. The 23-time Grand Slam champion has a penchant for fashion just as much as she has for lifting a trophy.
During her playing career, most of the time, Serena’s tennis outfits generated palpable buzz. Since her retirement in 2022, Serena has broadened her horizons when it comes to fashion.
On Monday, she was among the A-listers who walked on the red carpet dressed in a one-shouldered, golden gown. She worked with Balenciaga to design the dress, which was inspired by the Spanish luxury fashion house’s look 52, which required 150 hours of pattern-making and crafting.
“Going for gold. #MetGala”
Williams told Vogue that she was “immensely proud” to be the one wearing the ostentatious and glamorous gown. She complemented her look by wearing black gloves, gold hair and jewels, and a watch.
“It’s truly been an honor to collaborate with the talented Balenciaga team on such a memorable and glamorous piece. This gown represents a collective effort to create something truly extraordinary, and I am immensely proud to be the one to showcase it.”
Serena wasn’t the only tennis icon who stole the show during the night. Her older sister, Venus Williams, joined her during the annual fundraising gala.
The seven-time Grand Slam champion wore a customized Marc Jacobs dress with paillettes and later on revealed that she had a wardrobe malfunction when she broke one of the mirrors on the dress while zipping up.
It’s not the first time the two sisters have been invited to, literally, the “Oscars of Fashion”. Serena made her debut on the red carpet at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Costume Institute, in 2004, while Venus’ happened four years later.
