Let’s be real for a second. We’ve all seen the images. The gold sequins. The baby blue Balenciaga train flowing across a beach. That raw, unretouched power on the cover of Harper’s Bazaar. But when you look at a Serena Williams photoshoot, you aren't just looking at a famous athlete playing model. You’re looking at a carefully constructed manifesto.
People love to talk about the fashion, but they usually miss the point. This isn't just about clothes. It’s about a woman who spent two decades being told her body was "too much"—too muscular, too "thick," too whatever—finally using the lens to say, "Actually, it's exactly enough."
Honestly, the way Serena handles a camera today is just as tactical as the way she used to handle a serve at 120 mph.
The Evolution of the Serena Williams Photoshoot
Back in the day, the media didn't know what to do with her. Early shoots often felt like they were trying to soften her up, like the industry was scared of her strength. But something shifted.
If you look at her most iconic moments, they aren't about blending in. Take the 2017 Vanity Fair cover. Shot by Annie Leibovitz, it featured a pregnant Serena, nearly nude, looking like a literal goddess. It was a massive "shut up" to everyone who thought motherhood or pregnancy was a period of "sidelining" for a world-class athlete.
Breaking the Retouching Myth
Then came the 2019 Harper's Bazaar shoot. This one was different. No Photoshop. No "smoothing out" the muscles or the skin texture.
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- The Gold Cape: She stood there in a Ralph Lauren cape, muscles tensed, showing exactly what a body looks like when it has won 23 Grand Slams.
- The Message: She wrote a personal essay alongside it, talking about the 2018 US Open and the double standards she faced.
- The Impact: It forced the fashion world to stop viewing "athletic" as a sub-category of beauty and start viewing it as the standard.
She basically told the editors: "Don't touch the photo. I want them to see me."
Why the 2022 Vogue Cover Was the End of an Era
You’ve probably seen the baby-blue dress. The one where her daughter, Olympia, is clutching the train. That Serena Williams photoshoot for Vogue wasn't just a fashion spread; it was her retirement announcement. Or, as she called it, her "evolution."
It was soft. It was coastal. It felt like a deep breath.
For years, Serena photoshoots were about "The Warrior." This was about "The Woman." It’s fascinating because it showed a vulnerability we rarely saw on the court. She looked peaceful, which is a wild thing to say about someone who spent thirty years in a state of constant competitive aggression.
The Recent Porter Magazine Shift (2025)
Fast forward to right now. The December 2025 Porter magazine shoot is all anyone is talking about in the fashion circles. It’s different. It’s edgy. We’re talking Saint Laurent leather, Bottega Veneta, and a very "Florida-glam" vibe by a pool.
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People on Reddit and Twitter are obsessing over her "dramatic weight loss" or her "new look," but if you listen to what she’s actually saying in the interview, she’s "discovering herself again."
Post-retirement life is weird. Even for a GOAT.
She’s 44 now. She’s got two kids. She’s running Serena Ventures. The latest Serena Williams photoshoot reflects that transition. It’s less about the "tennis star" and more about the "business mogul who happens to look incredible in Alaïa."
What Most People Miss About These Images
There’s a lot of noise about "body positivity," but with Serena, it’s deeper. It’s about ownership.
- Skin Tone: She has been vocal about never wanting to lighten her skin in post-production.
- Muscle Definition: She stopped letting photographers hide her arms.
- Vulnerability: She allows the camera to see the "mom" side of her, which is a huge pivot from the "invincible" persona of the early 2000s.
She’s basically rewritten the rulebook on how a Black woman in sports is allowed to age in the public eye. Most athletes fade away. Serena just changes the lighting.
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Practical Takeaways from the Serena Style
If you’re looking at these shoots for inspiration, don't just look at the labels. Look at the confidence.
- Embrace the "Thick": Serena’s biggest legacy in fashion is making "curvy and muscular" the aspirational silhouette.
- The Power of the Unretouched: Stop blurring your "imperfections." The 2019 Bazaar shoot proved that authenticity actually ranks higher in cultural impact than perfection.
- Dress for the Transition: Your style should move with your life. Serena went from Nike kits to Balenciaga gowns to Saint Laurent leather as her career evolved.
The real "secret" to a Serena Williams photoshoot isn't the photographer or the lighting. It's the fact that she stopped asking for permission to be in the room. She just walked in and took the seat at the head of the table.
To really understand her impact, look back at her early 2000s shoots compared to 2025. The difference isn't just the clothes—it's the eyes. In the early days, she was proving she belonged. Now? She owns the building.
Next time you see a new gallery of her images, look past the dress. Look at the stance. That's where the real story is.
What to do next:
Go back and look at the Harper’s Bazaar 2019 "unretouched" cover. Compare it to a standard fashion magazine today. You'll notice how many more "natural" textures are allowed now because she broke that door down. If you're building your own brand or just taking a profile picture, remember that the "flaws" are usually the parts people actually connect with.