PLANET VENUS
Wimbledon champ Venus Williams has jumped over the net and onto the celebs-with-their-own-fashion-lines bandwagon. Now for less than $20, fans can soak up Williams’ style with a piece from her new EleVen line for Steve & Barry’s.
Named after her family’s onetime address in Lynwood, the line is mostly track suits, polo shirts and tunic tops, some in bright colors, some in tennis white, some even with bling -- like a tunic top with the EleVen logo emblazoned in rhinestones across the chest.
The quality and design are all over the map, with more than a few duds. But many of the pieces are cute and wearable. Who knew that the player with the fastest serve in women’s tour history also has some fashion cred, having studied fashion design at the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale in Florida.
The best piece in the line is a short-sleeved black velour, empire-waist, hooded top, with a sash at the gathered waist that can go even girlier if you tie a bow in front ($14.98). It’s fun with sweat pants or as a bikini cover-up. There’s also a terrific dove-gray down jacket, plush, thick and just the right puffiness, with a soft faux-fur lining and zip-off sleeves -- pretty amazing for $19.98.
And then there are the V-Court shoes. Williams is putting her game on the line with these: She’s actually been playing matches in the $14.98 shoes. Hard to believe? Perhaps. But with that price tag, every girl in gym class will want to check them out.
The EleVen line debuts Thursday at Steve & Barry’s stores.
