EXCLUSIVE: Venus Williams Teams With Look Optic for EleVen’s First Eyewear Collection

Venus Williams is growing her fashion empire with a category expansion.

The tennis champion and her activewear brand EleVen are teaming with Look Optic on an eyewear collection, marking the first time Williams’ brand has entered the category. The collaboration introduces the “Muse” glasses style, which will be available in readers, progressives, blue light and sunglasses options.

More from WWD

• Photos of the Emi Jay and Djerf Avenue Collaboration

• A Closer Look at Yeezy Gap Engineered by Balenciaga's Second Drop

• A Close Look at 'Bottega Green'

“The design process was really about empowering and feeling confident,” Williams said in a phone interview. “That’s in every piece that you touch and wear at EleVen. We also want to deliver the best products for our consumers, so it’s mixing both brands — mixing the Look Optics’ aesthetic and EleVen’s fashion-forward look.”

The “Muse” glasses are aviator-style with a metal frame. They are designed with a half-rim design and a tinted lens. The style is also made from 100 percent recycled materials.

Courtesy of EleVen

“Through this partnership, we’re able to deliver more than just performance,” she continued about entering the eyewear category. “We’re also able to continue that lifestyle of being your best and looking your best, so that extends to honestly every category. We just wanted to strengthen our naturally aligned values and continue to bring innovative products to the market.”

This is the latest collaboration that Williams’ brand has embarked on recently. EleVen previously teamed with Carbon 38 on a tennis collection, Saks for a “Wonder Woman”-themed collection and three times with K-Swiss on activewear collections.

“The collaborations are so much fun,” Williams said. “It gives us the opportunity to expand our product offerings, but also to meet our customer where they are. We can give them those opportunities to be confident in so many different ways, so it’s exciting to do that and also work with great brands. It’s a great opportunity for us to learn from other great entrepreneurs or businesses and the design process really is the best part.”

The Look Optic and EleVen by Venus Williams collection ranges in price from $82 to $98 and is available on the brand’s website.

Best of WWD

• A Look Back at Lady Gaga’s Best Red Carpet Looks: From 'Meat Dress' to Met Gala

• Margot Robbie's Most Fashionable Moments Over the Years

• Margot Robbie’s Most Stylish Moments Over the Years

Sign up for WWD's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

Click here to read the full article.