WOMEN’S CHAMPION
The first time I met Serena Williams was at a dinner given by Donatella Versace in September 2016, after a show where the tennis star had sat on the front row, directly opposite me. And from the moment I’d seen Serena across the catwalk, her charisma and strength were palpable; so much so, that even before we started talking, I already knew I wanted her to appear on the front cover of Harper’s Bazaar.
This took longer than we had envisaged – since that conversation in Milan, Serena has given birth, nearly died and made her career comeback (all in less than a year) – but the resulting story was certainly worth waiting for. Lydia Slater’s memorable interview reveals the extraordinary journey this great athlete has undertaken; and the shoot by Richard Phibbs captures Serena in all her glory – celebrating her magnificent power, prowess and beauty.
Elsewhere in the issue, we publish a brilliant piece by the author Jessie Burton on her journey to Frida Kahlo’s home in Mexico, exploring how the legendary artist recreated herself as a potent icon, as well as an independent woman, in an era when she might otherwise have been entirely defined by her roles as daughter and wife. And throughout our own creation of this (and every) edition of Bazaar, we have kept in mind the ways in which women such as Frida Kahlo and Serena Williams defy stereotyping, by being brave, bold and fiercely ambitious, while also acknowledging the moments in which they have recognised their vulnerabilities. In doing so, I hope that we will continue to inspire you, our cherished readers, in your own continuing quests; and above all, to quote the late, great Nora Ephron, to ‘be the heroine of your life, not the victim’.