After already productive summer 2018, Virgil Abloh has announced his latest Nike collaboration. After teasing the line early Monday morning (Aug. 13), the Off-White designer has officially unveiled his work for the Nike “QUEEN” collection. Set to be debuted by Serena Williams at the 2018 U.S. Open, Virgil Abloh’s designs for Serena Williams’ “QUEEN” collection will feature a dress (available in two colorways), jacket and three pairs of Abloh-designed Nike sneakers.
“When I was thinking about outfits for Serena, I was thinking about her playing the game and her aesthetic while she is,” Abloh told Vogue. “She has a level of creativity with how she expresses herself in terms of clothing in any event, so I made everything with her logic in mind. We traded images and there was a lot of back-and-forth to get this done in short order.”
Inspired by Williams’ standout fashion sense, Abloh took the time to carefully curate a collection that rightfully captures the design elements Williams has enjoyed most over the course of her 23-title career. “I was trying to do something that I think could live up to those inspirations and move her forward,” he explained.
According to Williams, Virgil did exactly that. “When I first tried on the dress, I felt very strong and feminine at the same time” she stated. “I felt so feminine in the tutu, which is probably my favorite part of it. It really embodies what I always say: that you can be strong and beautiful at the same time.”
Having never worn a tutu before, Williams is excited to bring something new to the court. “Every girl loves a tutu, or at least I do,” she exclaims. “It’s always been my dream to wear a tutu, and I can’t wait to wear it on court.”
While William’s will rock the collection from head-to-toe at this year’s U.S. open, the collection will be available for purchase at select Nike Stores beginning late August.