Venus Williams gave us a nostalgic moment at the King Richard movie premiere with her iconic braids and beads her and her sister wore on the tennis courts as little girls. The iconic style is what set them apart from other pro tennis players at the time the rest. and her would wear on the courts as little girls. The beaded look created by Nikki Nelms perfectly framed her face while the silver, black and clear beads match her silver gown. The back of her hair was up in a high bun. The braids made Black girl history as they played a crucial role in the lives of young girls and refreshing to see on national TV at the time. Williams went to Instagram to talk about why her and her sister wore their braids and why she chose to rock them for the King Richard premiere.
“When @serenawilliams and I wore our iconic beads, we didn’t wear them to be different, we wore them because they were a part of our heritage. Beads are a typical style for African American children. Of course they are worn by adults too for decoration in African American culture but have deep roots in African history. Beads and braids could be a symbol of your tribe, rank and status, age, religion and much more. They were and still remain in some areas of cultural significance to both men and women.
Wearing braids and beads unbeknownst to us at the time as children was an opportunity to share our beautiful and rich heritage with the world. It gave other African American women and children pride to wear their natural hair even before the natural hair movement sprouted decades later.
Wearing a beaded style for the premiere was a representation of my roots. The film is a true origins story. My hair represented not only my origins as a child in tennis but also my African roots. It was a beautiful moment to celebrate it! Thank you to @nikkinelms for making this style come to life! 💕💕💕”
