Before she was hitting red carpets in sky high heels and head turning boots, Venus Williams was rocking her sneaker game on the tennis court on the west coast.
Born on June 17, 1980 in Lynwood, California to Richard Williams and Oracene Price, Williams moved from Compton to West Palm Beach, Florida to perfect her game with her little sister and fellow tennis star, Serena Williams, at 13-years-old. The move to Rick Macci’s tennis academy paid off as Williams holds 49 career singles titles and two doubles with Serena under her belt to date.
As she’s grown older, her style has evolved into a fashion forward athlete both on and off the court. From endorsement deals with athletic brands like Reebok and Wilson to stylish partnerships with Ralph Lauren and Lacoste, Williams’ love for looking good has only grown and we’re taking a look at how her show collection has evolved over the years.
90s On the Court
In the summer of 1990, 10-year-old Williams was well on her way to becoming a pro tennis star. She posed next to a graffiti wall with her racquet in a pair of white sneakers with red and navy detailing and white socks that went above her ankles. She wore a white t-shirt and baby pink shorts.
A Move Down South
In 1992, the family spent more and more time training in Florida where they eventually move to. Although Williams didn’t sign her reported $12M Reebok deal until 1995, the teenager was already a fan of the brand, rocking a white collared shirt with colorful designs and writing and a bright pink scrunchy holding her hair in a ponytail. She wore a plain white tennis skirt and white Reebok sneakers with red and purple detailing along the sides with a colorful design on the tongue of the shoe.
Styling with Serena
By 1999, Venus had already made her mark in the athletic world. Posing here with younger sister Serena after beating her at the final match at the Lipton Championships in Key Biscayne, Florida on March 28, 1999 the Reebok partner wore a red and white halter by the brand as she posed with her crystal winnings that had a large tennis ball etched on it. She had her braided hair pulled back with white beads, several bracelets and a navy Reebok tennis skirt as her bottoms. Her Reebok socks and shoes were white with navy and red detailing and a purple colored logo along the side.
Belle of the Ball
With championship titles stacking up, so were the appearances and celebrations. In July 2000, Williams started showing off her glam side in a purple beaded halter gown that was sheer on top. She wore a low-heel purple sandal with purple detailing over the front strap on the toes. She held a color coordinating purple purse with iridescent shimmers and silver drop earrings as she posed with her sister at the Champions Ball after the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championship at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in Wimbledon, London.
Golden Girl
In 2005, Williams stepped out in New York City to honor Beyoncé at The Cipriani Wall Street Concert Series Presents The Series Finale. The 25-year-old wore a black, spaghetti strap gown with black lace on the top and solid black bottom with ruching and a cinched in waist. She paired an open-toe gold sandal with criss crossed straps over the toe box with her long curled hair as she posed in front of a step and repeat.
Keeping it Flat
In September 2010, the “Come to Win” author posed in black patent leather flats with a rounded toe at a signing for her book in Miami Beach, Florida. Williams was all smiles with her hair done straight, styled with a headband and big gold hoops in her ears. She wore a lime green, collared blouse with a gold necklace and bright purple shorts.
Colorblocked in Chanel
Williams showed off her trendy side in a colorblocked pair of low platform Chanel boots. The white and black leather shoes had the brands interlocked C’s along them as she posed with her hand on her hip at the Chanel Dinner to celebrate Five Echoes By Es Devlin at Jungle Plaza in the Miami Design District on December 3, 2021 in Miami, Florida. The rounded-toes were black and the soles were white with black fabric along the sides. She wore a black outfit with a black and silver belt by the brand and a dramatic red lip and smoky eyes. She wore a simple chain around her neck to complete the high-end styled look.
Stunning in Sequins
In 2023, Williams stunned during New York Fashion Week while celebrating designer Prabal Gurung. With her hair crimped partially pink, Williams wore a metallic silver, off the shoulder sequin jumpsuit with a black belt along her waist that hit her mid-calf area. She opted for an open-toe, low-block heel black sandal with jewels around the toes. The shoes had straps over the toe box and laced up the ankle.
