At this point in time, Essence is an American classic, beloved by those of us who grew up with the magazine atop the coffee tables of our mothers, aunties, grandmothers, big sisters, and now, ourselves. But on the heels of the 25th annual Essence Festival, and as the magazine approaches its 50th birthday in 2020, Essence is looking forward to inspiring future generations with a new redesign and indisputable, globally recognized champion and fashion entrepreneur Serena Williams.
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Williams is the star of Essenceโs September issue, also known as its Global Fashion Issue, which โtakes audiences on a world tour of Black creatives from fashion and art to culture and business,โ according to a release touting that next monthโs issue is โfeaturing designers from Lagos to New York City.โ
Exemplifying our inextricable link to Africa, Williamsโ face is half-painted by famed Nigerian-born, Brooklyn-based artist Laolu Senbanjo and captured by photographer Kwaku Alston for the September cover and feature story, titled โThe Future of Serena Williams.โ
โWe are beyond ecstatic to have Serena Williamsโone of the most photographed women on the planetโto be the muse for our September Global Fashion issue,โ said MoAna Luu, Essenceโs chief content and creative officer. โThis issue promises to be one of ESSENCEโs biggest with a fresh new redesign,โ she added. โWe also brought the best Black creatives in the worldโincluding visual artist Laolu, who gave us Serenaโs stunning face painting for the coverโto present all of the stunning visuals that you see.โ
The multihyphenate mogul, who will present her S by Serena line at New York Fashion Week in September with a 24-hour runway-to-retail option available September 10, gave Essence some insights to her incredible success, and the passion that fuels her perpetually multitasking life.
โMy biggest joy is that I know that Iโm doing something that Iโve always wanted to do, that I always dreamed of doing,โ Williams said. โI just needed to do it on my own. Because when you invest in yourself, it helps your confidence, and youโll know forever that whether you make it or not, you stepped up to the plate.โ
The working mom also speaks on her larger-than-life image and her unapologetic stance. โFreedom means standing up and not being afraid to say, โIโm hereโ or โHear my voiceโ or โThis isnโt what I agreed toโ or โThis isnโt fair and that isnโt right,โโ Williams says. โIโve done it my whole career. Itโs knowing where Iโve come from, knowing my history, in particular, the sport that Iโm in. When I first started, there werenโt a lot of people who looked like me. So it was really important to always help other people feel as if this is something they could also be a part of...โ
Inclusivity is a huge part of Williamsโ fashion brand, which has recently introduced an extended size range. But while the pioneering tennis player wants to design clothing for all types of bodies, what sheโs not welcoming is the term โplus.โ
โWe want to be inclusive. We have an extended size, and we call it great because I donโt like the word โplus,โโ Williams told Essence. โSo we call it S Great because every woman is great.โ
Williams is just one great woman to look forward to in the newly redesigned September issue, which also marks the debut of Essenceโs Black Fashion Awards, โrecognizing game changers moving fashion forward through design, photography, styling, modeling and more; the #BlackWomenIn profiles, highlighting five sisters creating diversity behind-the-scenes in fashion; and The Cool Girl Guide series, spotlighting global influencers in Paris who make their city haute.โ
The Glow Up tip: The September issue of Essence, starring Serena Williams, will be on stands on August 16.
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