Sloane Stephens has long admired Roberto Cavalli, even recalling her grandma wearing the Italian fashion house’s designs when she was a kid. “It’s a heritage brand and household name,” the tennis star tells TZR over the phone. Above all, Stephens loves how you can immediately clock a Roberto Cavalli design — something that can’t be said for every luxury label, she notes. Suffice it to say, the athlete was overjoyed to receive a front-row invite to the brand’s Spring/Summer 2027 show. Making the moment even more special, it was Stephens’ first time attending Milan Fashion Week, too.
When choosing her look for the show, Stephens, who had help from her stylist Brittany Hampton, forewent neutrals and went all in on vibrant shades. “I love bright colors; I very rarely reach for anything black,” she explains. “I always want to have some type of energy behind the look.” Her ensemble — a bright purple and hot pink color-blocked velvet and satin look that oozed ‘80s vibes — was certainly full of personality. “This was different than anything I’ve ever seen before.”
She upped the ante with her footwear, skipping pared-back pumps for of-the-moment snakeskin heels. “I could have picked, like, regular leather shoes, but again, of course, I had to do the most,” she laughs. “I just became a fashionista in two seconds,” she says of the fitting process. Stephens was in good company at the show, sitting alongside her mom, who donned a sleek black look.
This color-clashing look perfectly aligned with the tennis player’s personal style, which she describes as bright and outgoing. “I wouldn’t say I’m a risk-taker, but I don’t like to blend in with the crowd,” Stephens says. “I don’t like anything that’s basic or boring when it comes to fashion.”
As it happens, this is only the second show Stephens has attended — the first was Cult Gaia at New York Fashion Week earlier this month. “It was honestly, like, a perfect show to get my feet wet; I’m super familiar with the looks and brand.” For the occasion, Stephens stunned in a long green fringe gown, which she also picked with Hampton’s assistance.
While her number one priority is tennis, Stephens is slowly stepping into the fashion industry. “Tennis prohibits you from doing a lot of extra things, so it definitely has to be a conscious decision to come here and go to the shows,” she says. However, given her love for fashion, the tennis player is more than happy to spend her time away from the court taking in new collections.
On that note, keep a close eye out for Stephens at upcoming fashion shows — because Roberto Cavalli certainly won’t be her last.
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