Serena Williams is as famous for her passion for fashion as she is for her powerhouse tennis serve. Fresh from her championship wins at Wimbledon, we caught up with Serena on the set of her newest Nike commercial shoot in NYC to talk about fashion and fitness. We got the scoop on her famous on-court trench coat, her love of old Hollywood, her obsession with hearts, her favorite clothes to work out in and more:
Get Serena's look with these colorful pieces from Nike:
Read on for the full interview...
StyleBakeryTeen: We're talking to Serena Williams, who just wrapped a Nike shoot, and we had some time to steal her away to talk about fashion. Thanks so much for talking to StyleBakeryTeen! First of all, congratulations on both of your recent wins at Wimbledon.
Serena Williams: Thank you so much.
SBT: You're known as one of the greatest tennis players in the world, but you also have a love for acting, charity and of course, a passion for fashion. When do you first remember getting excited about fashion?
SW: As long as I can remember, I've always been excited about fashion. I used to make clothes when I was young and my mom always made clothes. So I think it's just in my blood.
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BT: Let's talk about Wimbledon for a moment, of course you had to wear white, but did you know the much talked about trench coat would get so much publicity?
SW: I love coat dresses, so Nike made this unbelievable coat dress for me and they made it really feminine and flared. The fabric that they used was really intense and really great. Actually, I could zip it off and wear it just as a top but I never did because I loved the little dress part.
SBT: So is it going to be in stores?
SW: No, they made it especially for Wimbledon, so unfortunately it won't be in stores. Maybe next year we'll do something.
SBT: Let's talk about your outfit now. You have suck a knack for putting color and fashion together. I love your shoes... What are some of the things you wear when you're not on the court, when you're just training?
SW: Well, making colors pop when you go to work out makes you just feel better about yourself and want to work harder.
SBT: Are there certain fabrics that you look for?
SW: Obviously, I love Lycra because it's easy and very breathable. Nike makes the best fabrics with cotton and adding Lycra into it.
SBT: And what about sports bras? Everyone's always looking for that perfect sports bra. What's so great about these from Nike?
SW: There's a lot of extra support and give so even someone like me can wear this kind of sports bra. And also the tops have built in sports bras so if you wear a sports bra and the top, you actually get double the support.
SBT: And all of these tanks come in such great colors.
SW: They do. I love yellow, it's such a great color especially for the summer, you can have your nails bright yellow and then your shirt bright yellow. And everyone now is into '80s and punk rock and the design on this shirt is the epitome of that with the lime green and big Nike swoosh. It's really cool, I love that.
SBT: Do you end up wearing your workout clothes all day, or do you change right afterwards?
SW: I do a little bit of both. I love to stay in my workout clothes because they're so comfortable. Actually, people make fun of me all the time because when I'm at home, I'm in a tennis skirt. It's funny, I'm always in some type of tennis clothes because it's just so comfortable and they're so fun to wear.
SBT: When you play tennis, how much say do you have in what you wear on the court?
SW: I get a lot of say and working with Nike has been so wonderful. They've really been able to work with me and help see the visions I have, and if I don't like something we go back to the drawing board and we change it, so it's been really great.
SBT: Any good luck charms? I notice you always wear that heart necklace.
SW: I love hearts, and I'm making this part of my collection soon. I always have some type of heart on, in Australia I had a different heart on and now I have this one.
SBT: You have two design collections, tell me about them.
SW: One is Aneres which is my name spelled backwards, it's more of my higher end line that would be available in all stores. I also have Serena Williams Signature Statement which is exclusive to HSN and we do jewelry, like this lucky ring. And we do handbags and clothes as well, but it's exclusive to HSN, and everything that we've done so far this season was under $100.
SBT: That's fabulous, especially with this economy.
SW: I know. I really wanted high quality, but something everyone can afford.
SBT: So, beauty tips. I have to ask - third set and you look like this, I don't understand! How does your hair and makeup and skin look so flawless?
SW: I don't think I look flawless in the third set, but thank you very much!
SBT: When you travel do you have any cities that you look forward to for shopping?
SW: I love Europe and especially Madrid, they have wonderful shopping. Paris, obviously. I just love Europe and can go anywhere there.
SBT: Do you and your sister Venus shop together? Does she have the same passion for fashion that you do?
SW: She does have the same passion, but she has a completely different style than I do. Her style is more indie and mine is more Los Angeles/Hollywood style. She is a really intense shopper and I'm more of a get-in-get-out kind of shopper.
SBT: What trends are you really excited about for fall?
SW: I'm really into pearls, actually. I like layering jewelry as well as clothes. Especially going into fall. And even in summer, you can layer something like this great Nike tank. So it's all about layering and pops of color for me - like really bright neons.
SBT: Are there any celebrities or fashion designers that inspire you?
SW: I'm really inspired by old Hollywood, like Dorothy Dandridge and Joan Crawford and Elizabeth Taylor because I think that they had a really classic style. Even though that was 50 or 60 years ago, it's still in style. When I go shopping, I try to find pieces that will last and stand the test of time.
SBT: Are you the kind of person that is constantly with a sketchbook or ripping pages out of magazines?
SW: I have a sketchbook that I travel with all the time, but I haven't been using it a lot lately. For a while I was using it a lot, but I've been a little busy and kind of stopped a little bit, but I'll go back to it.
SBT: At StyleBakery, we're always concerned with figure flattering fashions and making the most of what you have. Any tips on flattering your figure?
SW: Well, if you have a large rump, it's important to stay away from gathered looks, because it makes you look really hippy.
SBT: What about some advice for our teen readers when they're picking out clothing?
SW: Definitely go for something that you feel comfortable with that is a good fabric, because if it's a good fabric - especially if you're working out - then it's going to be really forgiving.
SBT: Let's talk about some more of your passions off the court. I know that you're really into charity. Can you tell us a little bit about your school?
SW: Last year I opened a school in Africa, in Kenya, and HP donated some computers. It was a great experience - I've been blessed with two wonderful parents that provided a great upbringing for me, and because of that, I have the opportunity to help others. I definitely think it's my job to help others.
SBT: Any final advice for our readers?
SW: Always enjoy yourself and have a sense of what you do and know that someone's always watching.
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