ON SET WITH SERENA AND OLYMPIA

Serena Williams returns to star in the Stuart Weitzman Spring 2021 Campaign. Titled Footsteps to Follow, the campaign marks Serena's fourth season as our global spokeswoman. And so we went big — history-making big — as she was joined by a very special guest, 3-year-old daughter Alexis Olympia Ohanian Jr. in their first-ever fashion campaign together.

The campaign shoot took place at Serena and Olympia's home, and the energy on set was palpable: Olympia was buzzing with excitement as she spent the day with her mom posing for photographs, dancing together to a soundtrack of hip hop beats and '90s hits and dressing up in mom-and-me outfits. They even had twinning mini-me moments in the LYLA 75 SANDAL worn with black bodysuits and the NORAH bootie paired with white sweater dresses. Olympia's lively, playful spirit made for a fun atmosphere and resonated across the set.

“Being on set with Olympia to shoot this campaign meant so much to me, and it is a moment together I will never forget,” says Serena. “She is Mini Serena; she’s so cute and she’s so fun."

ALL ACCESS: THE CAMPAIGN

While hope and optimism remain central themes in every SW x SW campaign, showcasing the powerful bond between mother and daughter brings unfettered joy, unimaginable pride and unconditional love to the forefront. It highlights the notion that every generation can inspire any generation — be it parents to children or vice versa — to step into each other’s shoes and step into new worlds.

"Waking up every day to see her so happy to see me is a feeling I never thought I would experience," Serena says. "While I try to teach her how to be a positive influence, she in fact teaches me how to be a stronger person every day. It’s the best part about being a mom.”

As such, the campaign reflects the multi-faceted aspects of womanhood in the modern landscape — a delicate balance of family, parenting, career and community, as well as a feat of confidence and inner strength — all of which are embodied by the mother, superstar athlete, philanthropist and entrepreneur.

ALL ACCESS: THE NEW ESSENTIALS

In the campaign, Serena wears our new high-fashion, high-function essentials designed to shine in the modern woman’s perfectly-curated wardrobe, which can all be found in the Spring 2021 Campaign Edit. Each pair is engineered to maximize style and comfort to inspire confidence with every step.

High-fashion looks include the artfully constructed LYLA 75 SANDAL with a toe ring detail and sculptural mid heel and the square-toe LYLA FLAT slide, designed with a toe ring detail and cushioned ultraflat sole.

Meanwhile, luxe lug soles bring a high-function dimension to casual and comfortable silhouettes, like the NORAH bootie, a twist on the classic Chelsea boot; the GALA LIFT SANDAL, a new iteration of the brand’s iconic gladiator sandal design constructed with stretch for a perfect fit; and the minimal and impactful ROZA LIFT slide.

“I created this collection with an intentional, artful approach to design, engineering and craftsmanship,” says SW Global Head of Design Edmundo Castillo. “The styles offer a renewed and emboldened sense of functionality and fashion to elevate the casual elegance of the modern woman.”

ALL ACCESS:
THE SHOOT

The talented group of fashion forces behind the scenes of the SW x SW campaigns reconvened to bring Footsteps to Follow to life. This includes photographer and director Ethan James Green, whose body of work is dedicated to elevating inner beauty, as well as stylist and Garage Fashion Director Gabriella Karefa-Johnson, whose unique eye focuses on bringing broader representation to the forefront.

They were joined by makeup artist Natasha Gross and hairstylist Angela Meadows, longtime collaborators of Serena, who also returned this season to create bold new looks that bring out the star’s inner confidence.

Photographer Lewis Mirrett, who is known for capturing the ease of his subjects between takes, was also on set to capture the special moments that took place behind the scenes of the shoot.

Explore the full Spring 2021 Campaign on the newly-relaunched stuartweitzman.com.