What’s Tennis Got To Do With It?

Venus Williams incited a minor international debate with her slightly bordello-ish lace outfit at the French Open a few weeks back. But if you thought that was…well, whatever you thought that was, the unfazed fashion plate promises you ain’t seen nothing yet. “I know that the French Open outfit look caused a stir, but I think the one I will wear in the next couple days will be better yet—it’s all about lace and fringes, a lot of fringes. I’m thinking about Tina Turner here. I am not sure how that is going to go over, but at least I can say that it will catch everyone’s attention.”

For the moment, though, Williams was clad in Ralph Lauren, at RL’s New Bond Street London shop for his annual pre-Wimbledon party. (As the man is preparing to sell a tiny percentage of his company for quite near $1 billion, there was, needless to say, much Champagne flowing.)

Well, if anyone can avert eyes from World Cup mania, it’s Venus—she certainly held her own among Gwyneth Paltrow, her bestie/stylist Elizabeth Saltzman Walker, Matt LeBlanc,Love’s Katie Grand, and of course, Lilly and Boris Becker (pictured above with Williams). But Grand, usually thought of more as LV than RL, only had eyes for shopping. “I was one of the first people here tonight, and I have already ID’ed this chair with the RL crest pillow as the next on my most wanted list,” she said, tucking her feet up into a rattan Montauk-esque jobby. And to go with it? “The navy jacket with the white piping—must, must have it. I am working on it.” Come to think of it, modify it for the court and it might be a good look for Venus, too.

—Afsun Qureshi