By Inesa Perihana
Serena Williams decided to make a statement with her outfit choice for the 2018 French Open. The outfit she wore was a compression bodysuit that was made from fashion and science combined and was specifically made for Serena because of her very serious health issues. However, in yet another example of men shaming women’s bodies and appearance, the French Tennis Federation president Bernard Giudicelli had a hard time accepting it, he went as far as banning the outfit.
Although this Nike-designed compression suit may not be a traditional tennis outfit, Williams had a health reason for wearing it. She went through a life-threatening pulmonary embolism after giving birth, which is chronicled in this amazing Time profile here. The bodysuit was designed to help her with blood circulation and prevent clotting, which could be life threatening to her. At the French Open she talked about how the suit represents all the women that have gone through a lot mentally and physically with their bodies to come back and believe in themselves again.
There was a lot of back and forth about whether it is appropriate wear for a sport that still seems stuck in the past. Billie Jean King tweeted saying that for Guidicelli to criticize what Serena Williams wears to work is very disrespectful. Williams has downplayed the controversy saying that Gudicelli wasn’t aware of the health reason she had for wearing the compressed suit. Williams explains that Guidicelli is a great guy and is sure that both of them would have come to an understanding. Williams goes on to say that she doesn’t want to become a repeat offender but has other ways of keeping her blood circulating with tights.
This August Serena Williams and Virgil Abloh came out with a Nike collection together for tennis wear. She recently sported the black asymmetrical tutu dress that has only one sleeve from the collection to the U.S. Open. Williams got to pick out features of the dress that spoke to her. She loves dance and ballet, which explains the tutu and the material used to make it. Just like the sport and Williams the dress is graceful and powerful. The rest of the collection includes a dress either white or black, a bomber jacket, a bag, and two pairs of Nike gym shoes.
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