Venus Williams may have missed the year-end Son-Ericsson Championships with illness, but she’ll be keeping busy during the off-season with a 13-city nationwide tour to promote her new clothing line, EleVen.
Until she struck a deal with sporting goods chain Steve and Barry’s to establish the line, the four-time Wimbledon champion had been without a clothing sponsor for some time, opting to wear former sponsor Reebok’s apparel without a contract. EleVen – named after the address of a childhood home – was unveiled just before the start of the US Open and includes footwear, apparel and accessories, all priced under $20. Williams wore the line’s bright, Crayola-colored outfits – not to mention the $15 sneakers – during her US Open matches.
EleVen is the largest apparel line ever launched by a female athlete. Williams joins fellow celebrities Sarah Jessica Parker and Amanda Bynes in creating a line for the New York-based discount retailer, putting the 27-year-old “in good company,” as she put it.
“My vision was to create a collection that will allow women to easily transition throughout their active lifestyles and still look fashionable. I worked really hard with Steve & Barry’s to launch EleVen and I’m really excited that it’s finally available for women all over the country,” Williams said at her Houston launch.
She also talked about why she chose to create her own line rather than sign a traditional sponsorship deal with a sports clothing brand. ““This is so much more exciting. This is a real wonderful adventure. Everything is turning out so great and I love the line.”
While Williams has long been an interior designer—she established her decorating company V Starr Interiors a few years ago—she has also been a student of design at the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale. She’ll add “college graduate” to her already impressive list of credentials this December when she graduates with an associate degree in Fashion Design.
She plans to attend the graduation ceremony but the savvy business woman will be touring various Steve and Barry’s stores before she walks the stage to get her degree. Her tour kicked off in New York City with a star-studded launch party at Tenjune, a club in the city’s trendy meat-packing district. On hand along with her sister Serena were rap artists Q-Tip and Common as well as former “The View” co-host Star Jones-Reynolds and socialite/heiress Lydia Hearst.
Williams then hit the road this week, accompanied by her agent Carlos Fleming and a small entourage. She greeted nearly 400 fans in in Dallas on Monday, before heading to the Space City for another in-store signing at 8 PM and then flying to Detroit for an appearance on Tueday.
Looking stylish in her new bob haircut and fresh highlights, the elder Williams sister was clearly tired but still gracious to her fans and the media that had gathered in Katy, Texas.
The Williams camp will take a few days off to celebrate Thanksgiving before heading back on the road to complete the tour.
Williams maintains that she is not getting sidetracked from tennis and is still working on her game despite suffering from fatigue and dizziness thought to be due to anemia.
“I’m doing good. I actually played my full schedule this fall except for The [WTA Year End] Championships, which was disappointing but I’m looking forward to next year, so I’m doing well,” she said.
“In my free time, I go and work out so I’m always doing something productive.
“I’m already getting ready, try to hit balls, hit the gym. I have huge plans for ’08. If I could, I would never lose a match. That is what I train for. ”
Williams plans to kick off next year by competing in the JB Group Classic exhibition in Hong Kong.