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Serena Williams launches new fashion line inspired by her nine-month-old daughter
Pieces from the tennis icon’s brand are available to buy now
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Serena Williams has already conquered the world of sport, winning a total of 24 Grand Slam titles, and now she has her eye on the fashion industry too.
The tennis champion is no stranger to style – she has done clothing collaborations with brands like Nike and Puma, and even studied at the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale – but now she is launching a fashion line of her own, Serena.
Launching just one day after winning her first Grand Slam match since giving birth to her daughter, Williams announced the first drop of the collection on Instagram writing: “They say life is about timing. I learned this lesson at age 18, when I chose to play a light tennis schedule because I wanted to go to fashion school.
“Some criticised my decision, but I knew I had two loves—tennis and fashion—and had to find a way to make them coexist. After 15 years of false starts, and people in fashion telling me ‘no,’ it only drove me to work harder.
“As a result, I discovered what it meant to invest in myself, and I allowed that belief in myself to drive me to reach my dream.
“Today, I am proud to launch @serena , my own online shop. Never stop believing in yourself, you're worth it.”
Williams says that she hopes the 12-piece capsule, which includes everything from tennis-approved athleisure to structured denim and slip dresses and is available to buy now at serenawilliams.com, will help women feel strong, confident and sexy, but that her ultimate inspiration was her nine-month-old daughter, Alexis Olympia Ohanian, Jr., whom she gave birth to in September.
“Ever since [giving birth to] Olympia I was like, ‘Okay I have a daughter, I want her to feel good about herself.’
“She is strong already, so I want her to feel beautiful and I want to spread that message through the collection,” Williams told Harpers Bazaar.
The tennis icon has also spoken candidly about her experience as a new mother following the complicated birth of her daughter, including her struggles with postnatal depression.
Williams, who is married to Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian, revealed that she had an emergency caesarean section and experienced life-threatening complications after childbirth, which resulted in surgery to prevent blood clots travelling to her lungs.
“Honestly, sometimes I think I still have to deal with it,” she said.
”I think people have to talk about it more because it's almost like the fourth trimester, it's part of the pregnancy.
“I remember one day, I couldn't find Olympia's bottle and I got so upset I started crying...because I wanted to be perfect for her.”
Despite her struggles Williams says she is now ready to have another child.
“If I wasn't playing tennis, I'd be pregnant right now - sorry, I'm one of those women,” she added.
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