Williams sisters and Osaka channel couture at Met Gala under ‘Fashion is Art’

Three tennis figures turned the Met Gala red carpet into a study of costume as expression, each offering a distinct answer to the evening’s “Fashion is Art” directive. Venus Williams served as an honorary co-chair and arrived in a custom black Swarovski gown with a pearl neck plate that referenced a 2022 portrait commissioned by the National Portrait Gallery and Wimbledon’s famous Venus Rosewater Dish. She said the adornment carried layered meaning: “There’s a lot of symbolism,” she said. Elements in its construction, she added, represented her parents, her heritage and the Watts Towers that signify southern California. She told Vogue it was an “incredible honor” to serve in the ceremonial role as co-chair and to represent tennis, a spot that her sister Serena, Osaka, and Roger Federer held previously.

Serena Williams opted for a metallic statement, dressed head-to-toe in silver by Marc Jacobs and wearing David Yurman jewels. Her presence underscored the way fashion and tennis careers have long intersected for the former champion.

Naomi Osaka brought a theatrical two-piece by Robert Wun, the same couturier who helped her generate attention earlier in the season. Appearing at the event for the first time since she co-chaired herself five years ago, the former world No. 1 stepped out first in an ivory coat trimmed with red feathers and an oversized wide-brimmed hat by Awon Golding. She removed the coat to reveal a sparkling red dress set with four shades of Swarovski crystals. Vogue reported that the look took more than 3,200 hours of work to complete and that it represented “the shedding of the skin and the human anatomy.”

Venus framed her role as both personal and representative of the sport: “When I got the call, I could hardly believe it,” she said. For the three women, the Met Gala offered a chance to translate courtside style and personal history into crafted attire that treated clothing as sculpture and storytelling.