Serena Willliams is thrilled when anyone wears something from her new line, Serena — especially BFF Meghan Markle.
“I love when Meghan wears our pieces,” Williams told PEOPLE at the launch of her L.A. pop-up shop for her Serena Collection this weekend.
Meghan and Williams have been besties ever since meeting at the 2010 Super Bowl where they immediately hit it off. They’ve supported one another’s endeavors ever since, including the royal wedding in May, where Williams was on-hand to support her friend on her big day.
Then, Meghan wore a plaid blazer from Williams’ collection for an appearance in October, and the tennis superstar, 37, was thrilled.
“The face you make when you and Meghan have matching @serenablazers ?,” Williams captioned an Instagram post with a photo of herself modeling the blazer with a big smile across her face.
When Williams launched the line in May, she said the pieces were “inspired by femininity and strength.” Now, her vision still includes those elements as the foundation, but it has also evolved, she says.
“I find my inspirations through aspiration and aspirational people, so our collection right now is really about all aspiration,” she says. Of course, her princess pall fits right into that.
That said, the Olympian can only send the Duchess of Sussex specific pieces from the line. Bright color-block pants aren’t necessarily castle-ready, jokes Williams.
“We don’t [send her the whole line] because some of that stuff we know is like, OK, maybe she wouldn’t be looking at the color-block pants because I don’t know if it’s appropriate,” says the tennis star designer. “But years ago, I would have, you know? But now, I have to really think about it.”
That said, Williams says she achieves Markle-level excitement when anyone wears the line.
“It’s not about having people wear it, it’s about every customer,” say Williams. “We are so proud and so happy of that person and we just want to celebrate that moment.”
Williams launched the line in May, and her signature item is her ‘S’ logo, in which she challenges fans to find their ‘S’ word — be it strong, sophisticated, sexy or something else.
“I absolutely love this collection because it represents all the facets of my life as an athlete, an entrepreneur, and now, a mother,” Williams said in a release. “We’re all on a journey that delights us with highs and challenges us with twists and turns, which shapes us into who we are and who we want to become. I’ve learned to embrace and celebrate this process of individual growth and dedicate this collection to all women who want to join me in showing the world our true selves.”
Now, the Serena collection continues to grow.
Williams set up a pop-up shop for the line in the Melody Ehsani store in Los Angeles on Friday, where she invited pals Eva Longoria, Nicole Scherzinger, husband Alexis Ohanian and more to join her in celebrating her line’s temporary brick-and-mortar store before it opened to the public. While the pop-up experience only lasted the weekend, the opportunity to get her clothes in front of her fans is something she’s wanted since she launched the line earlier this year.
“This brand is about is being interactive with the people and letting them know that our fashion speaks for you,” Williams told PEOPLE at the event, where she wore black turtleneck dress — her own design.
Williams will be taking her pop-up shop to Miami next — opening a shop on Collins Avenue this month.
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