Venus Williams’s US Open Style Is a Love Letter to American Fashion

Venus Williams lost her opening round singles match at the 2025 US Open, but her court style served nothing but aces. Under the lights of Arthur Ashe Stadium on Monday night, Williams slipped into a custom ERL ensemble—adding yet another American label to her match-day repertoire.

Williams, who bowed out in a close match to Karolina Muchova, turned to the Venice Beach label for a functional, yet splashy, look. In addition to her usual bright red Wilson bag, Williams carried a shearling, butter yellow racket holder by her side—a nod to ERL’s viral furry bags. For her main look, the champion wore a collared dress with a pleated skirt, paired with a matching visor and overshirt. Though tennis whites are usually reserved for Wimbledon, the color choice was an intentional one by Williams and her stylist, Ronald Burton III.

Williams’s dress appeared to nod to Althea Gibson, the trailblazing late tennis player who was the first Black player to participate in a major tennis tournament. The US Open is honoring Gibson at this year’s edition, marking 75 years since she first competed at the event.

Before Williams’s singles match, she participated in an exhibition event where she turned to one of New York’s most avant-garde labels: Luar. She wore a custom black dress and an eyelet-trimmed track jacket, inspired by the label’s spring 2025 runway. And for the mixed doubles tournament just a few days prior, Williams competed in a cut-out navy number from Khaite, the luxe cult label loved by the likes of Katie Holmes and Jennifer Lawrence.

“To me, it was simply showing the power of evolution and the ability to adapt as a seasoned veteran and focusing on the future of American fashion who will grow to be legendary houses in their own right,” Burton told WWD of the inspiration behind Williams’s ensembles.

According to the New York Times, Williams also commissioned looks from two beloved American labels: Who Decides War and Phillip Lim. Perhaps we’ll see one of those designs in action on Thursday, when she returns to the court for doubles alongside Canada’s Leylah Fernandez.