Serena Williams, the tennis legend turned fashion icon, sparked reactions online after encountering an unusual decoration during her recent trip to New York City.
While walking through a hotel hallway, she noticed a cotton plant arranged in a vase and shared her immediate thoughts on Instagram, leaving fans both puzzled and intrigued.
A Cotton Plant Catches Her Eye
It’s unclear which hotel Williams was visiting, but the 43-year-old had been in the Big Apple promoting Kim Kardashian’s SKIMS/Nike launch just the day before.
As she walked past a table adorned with cotton plants, she stopped to film the scene for her Instagram story.
“How do we feel about cotton as decoration? Personally, for me, it doesn’t feel great,” Williams said, picking one of the cotton bolls and running it between her fingers before shuddering and setting it back down.
Possible Historical Context Behind Her Reaction
While the plant might seem harmless to most, some speculate that Williams’ reaction may stem from cotton’s fraught history in the United States, tied to the trans-Atlantic slave trade.
Throughout her career, Williams has been a vocal advocate for social justice, and she has continued to use her platform to speak on issues she cares about, long after retiring from professional tennis.
Fans Debate the Reaction Online
Social media quickly weighed in, with fans divided on Williams’ response.
Some users were confused or dismissive, seeing it as an overreaction.
“Wait until she finds out Skims uses cotton in some of their clothing,” one commenter quipped.
Others criticized her for reacting to what they saw as a common seasonal decoration, while some defended her perspective.
Serena’s Continued Fashion and Fitness Journey
Cotton isn’t new to Williams’ post-tennis life—her ventures into fashion, including her SKIMS collaboration, mean she encounters the material regularly.
She’s maintained her connection with Nike, the brand she’s long represented, even after retiring in 2022.
Recently, Williams also shared updates on her personal health journey, revealing she lost 31 pounds in eight months using the GLP-1 agonist drug Zepbound through her role as investor and ambassador for the telehealth company Ro.
In an interview with Vogue, she emphasized the importance of making choices that work for individual needs, saying, “Your story is your story, and it’s okay to make that choice to do it if you want to. I did, and I’m really happy with it.”
Embracing Confidence and Self-Care
The four-time Olympic gold medalist added that her approach to wellness goes beyond weight loss.
“I feel lighter mentally, I feel sexier, I feel more confident,” she explained.
Williams highlighted the struggle many women face when hard work in the gym and healthy eating don’t always yield the results they hope for, framing her journey as one of empowerment and self-acceptance.