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AI garment reconstruction: Serena Williams, Australian Open 2005. A lime tank with white piping and side keyholes pairs with a gathered white mesh skirt: Serena’s convertible on-court statement for Melbourne in 2005.

Match kit · AI garment reconstruction.

Serena Williams · 2005

The transform dress

The modular lime-and-white dress from Serena’s first retail Nike collection.

Athlete
Serena Williams
Tournament
Australian Open
Date
17 January 2005
Design
Serena Williams × Nike
Documented round
First roundSingles
Match result
Wonvs Camille Pin
Tournament finish
WSingles

The original look

Serena Williams celebrates her opening-round win over Camille Pin at the 2005 Australian Open, wearing the lime-and-white Nike Transform Dress configuration.

Adam Pretty/Getty Images · Copyrighted editorial photograph; rights remain with the credited owner.

View original photograph & source ↗

The story behind the look

Serena Williams’s Transform Dress made change itself the design idea. Unveiled in Melbourne on 13 January 2005, it was the signature piece of The Serena Williams Collection by Nike, the first collection under that name offered at retail. Williams co-designed the apparel with Nike. Its interchangeable pieces could shift from a tank and shorts to a dress worn over shorts, with Dri-FIT fabric and Sphere Cool mesh chosen for the Australian heat.

The lime-and-white court configuration combines a close-fitting, white-trimmed tank with curved side openings and a light mesh skirt. The design carries Serena’s taste for theatrical entrances into clothing built for competition. She finished the tournament with her second Australian Open singles title, defeating Lindsay Davenport after surviving three match points against Maria Sharapova in the semifinal.