This past Latest York Fashion Week season, a certain tennis icon brought her on-court heat to the Big Apple. IMG and Spring Studios partnered with Chase Sapphire on September 10 for the curation of a customer activation called Glam Slam, a fashion-tennis hybrid experience featuring Venus Williams’ fashion-forward activewear brand EleVen by Venus Williams.

During two of Latest York City’s most monumental calendar moments – the US Open and Latest York Fashion Week – Glam Slam goals to have fun the intersectionality of tennis and fashion through tennis match screenings, fashion panels, culinary offerings, and DJ sets. Within the spirit of kicking off the series, Glam Slam partnered with Williams and trainer Kira Stokes for a 15-minute Sweat Session workout followed by a Q&A with Venus. Guests were also granted the chance to observe a live screening of the US Open Men’s Finals on the Rooftop Terrace of Spring Studios in Tribeca.

“Oh my gosh, my life’s not balanced, ever. It’s unbalanced. I’ve accepted it, and I’m okay with it. If you end up trying to realize things in life, for those who start pondering you’re going to be balanced, then reassess, that’s life. That’s the way it is,” Williams admitted to ESSENCE during Latest York Fashion Week when asked about balancing her obligations.

“Then you definitely just have to search out your small moments of balance throughout your day to prepare for the following day. I’m okay with that. Once you’re doing something that you simply like and you’re keen on makes it just a little easier and you’ve got an amazing team around you. In the event you do not need an amazing team around you, definitely not as much.” Just just a few weeks prior, she played against her sister and newly-retired tennis player Serena Williams within the US Doubles. Did we forget to say that she runs a totally functioning business?

It’s no wonder why Williams had to change modes from entrepreneur and the face of the EleVen brand to Fashion Week-goer quick, fast, and in a rush. “I do know my schedule and I do know what I actually have to do next, so then I’m already prepared for it. After I know what I actually have to do, then I’m determined to do it. It’s like I’ve made the selection to get entangled, so let’s get entangled. That’s what it’s,” Williams said.

While former World No. 1 and seven-time Grand Slam singles champion stays booked and busy, she stays humbly happy with the success of the fashion-forward activewear brand. Since its foundation, EleVen has created capsule collections surrounding the premiere of Batman starring Robert Pattinson and Zoe Kravitz,  teamed up with LOOK OPTIC to launch a limited-edition collection of unisex metal frames, and partnered with Credo Beauty for a mineral sunscreen. Let’s not forget – she still plays tennis.

Williams has confidence that the primary EleVen collection was well-received by the masses, especially considering that she put a bit of her own story into the gathering. “It’s all about my roots, and the roots of those who I’ve admired and influenced me growing up in California. It was sort of like a return to our roots, and a return to who I’m, and what I stand for, and what EleVen stands for, which is the pursuit of your best self,” Williams explained.

“With a view to pursue your best self, you’ve got to know who you might be. That’s really the story that that is telling, and our first drop was really all about just my roots in California and really Billie Jean King. She was from Long Beach. I lived in Long Beach the primary three years of my life, so it was sort of like this parallel of tennis players [and] California.”

When asked by ESSENCE about her favorite Black designers who were on her list, she praised Laquan Smith. In actual fact, she said that she’s “completely obsessed.”

“We wore a few of his stuff within the Harper’s Bazaar cover we did recently, and I wanted just to maintain it on. I couldn’t. I feel they were samples we had to offer back,” she laughed.

Willams also praised the success and creativity of Sergio Hudson, who also had a Spring/Summer ’23 presentation at this 12 months’s Latest York Fashion Week. “I attempted on a lot of his clothes for the award season as well, and didn’t get a likelihood to wear all of it, but I used to be drooling. It’s so wonderful to see that expression of creativity come out and the way distinct the voice is. That’s what we’d like for American design without delay and I can’t wait to see what he does next,” she added.

So far as what’s next for Williams and the EleVen brand, she revealed to ESSENCE that she will likely be gearing up for her second and third drop. “Our primary goal is to assist people to be well. There’s so many definitions of being well – mentally well, emotionally, well physically, well, all the several things,” she said.

“You wish that a part of wellness and to live your best life, to pursue your best self, you should be well and completely happy. In the event you aren’t, it makes it hard to be your best. That’s what we’re we wish for people, and that’s really what’s next, on a regular basis.”