Serena Williams pays tribute to Virgil Abloh at Off-White’s Paris Vogue Week show

Serena Williams is no stranger to the runway, having modeled for her possess manner line’s reveals in the earlier. But Monday marked the to start with time the 23-time important winner walked for a main luxurious manufacturer for the duration of trend month.

On the initial day of Paris Fashion 7 days, Williams paid out tribute to her longtime trend collaborator, the late designer and Off-White founder, Virgil Abloh.

Off-White, a Milan-dependent luxurious brand name, honored Abloh, who died in November 2021 at the age of 41 immediately after a private struggle with a scarce most cancers, even though presenting its Fall 2022 collection — Abloh’s closing contribution to the model.

The star-studded show (Kendall Jenner, Joan Smalls, Gigi and Bella Hadid, Karlie Kloss, Naomi Campbell and Cindy Crawford also graced the catwalk for the situation) was divided into two pieces, with Serena donning a part of the “completely ready-to-wear collection” for the approaching time in the initial portion.

Location Serena Williams, modeling in the Off-White Virgil Abloh memorial show #PFW pic.twitter.com/lAfFQoE6w8

— Vanessa Friedman (@VVFriedman) February 28, 2022

Serena Williams just walked in Virgil Abloh’s remaining Off-White display at Paris Style Week pic.twitter.com/noXQXQmnel

— jessica testa (@jtes) February 28, 2022

Following the display, Williams took to Instagram to categorical gratitude for the opportunity to honor her pal.

Williams experienced very long been Abloh’s muse, with the tennis star serving as the inspiration for the designer’s very first Nike assortment in 2018. The selection, identified as “Queen” (by natural means), provided Abloh’s acquire on the basic tennis gown with asymmetrical shade blocking, classic Off-White text and a tulle tutu skirt. “I was seeking to embody her spirit and carry something powerful and new to tennis,” he mentioned in an official assertion on the start. Williams wore the costume in many colorways at the 2018 U.S. Open.

In 2019, she donned neon yellow sneakers built by Abloh though attending the Met Gala. Not very long right after, she rocked an Abloh primary to the 2019 French Open. The black-and-white striped two-piece established — total with a matching cape — was emblazoned with the French words for “mother,” “champion,” “queen,” and “goddess.”

When Abloh died, Williams was 1 of a bevy of celebrities who shared tributes to the beloved designer. “Words are not able to express the sorrow I really feel on the passing of my pal @virgilabloh,” she wrote on Instagram. “I will permanently be grateful to have had the option to witness these kinds of greatness, this sort of genius and to sense the warmth of his smile. It was my honor to stand up coming to him. He lit up each room he walked into. May possibly his beloved spouse and children and buddies find comfort and ease in figuring out how profoundly his artwork impacted our society, and us all. I will skip you.”