Venus Williams is set to relaunch her EleVen fashion range.
The 31-year-old tennis player – who took six months off to seek treatment for autoimmune disease Sjogren’s syndrome – will unveil her collection of sports and leisure wear when she returns to the court this week.
The seven-times Grand Slam singles winner explains the thinking behind the designs.
She said: ”EleVen is really about being better than a 10. It’s bringing your personal best which makes you an 11, and not accepting the standards of what is considered the best.
”It’s overcoming defeats and being a champion in life. If you don’t look good, you won’t play well.”
And having worked with Ralph Lauren and earned a degree in fashion design from the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale, Venus says the range was inspired by her own attitudes to style.
She told WWD: ”EleVen is about being yourself. I don’t like to be told what to wear and how to look.”
The label – that was originally created for chain store Steve & Barry’s which went into liquidation in 2008 – will be debuted at the Sony Ericsson Open tennis tournament in Miami.