Steve & Barry’s has also been drawn to celebrity wear. Last year, it released its first athletic-inspired sportswear line, Starbury. “It brought a lot of new customers to us, and what really made a mark was entering the women’s market a few months ago with our Sarah Jessica Parker brand,” says Howard Schacter, chief partnership officer of Steve & Barry’s stores, which also carries lifestyle brands by Chicago Bulls star Ben Wallace. “But the EleVen brand opens us up to a new category of woman shopper, and we have very high hopes for it.”

Williams, who models the clothing on Steve & Barry’s Web site, debuted several pieces from her collection at this year’s US Open and has been sporting the brand at matches ever since. She says it’s attracted a lot of attention in the locker room.

“All the players and trainers were like, ‘Is that your line? It’s so cute,’ ” she gushes. “It’s great that my colleagues like it. It’s really what I’ve always wanted,” added Williams, who will be graduating from the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale with a degree in fashion design in December.

“Obviously, I wanted to finish school first but ... Steve & Barry’s believed in me, and that’s so important because if someone doesn’t quite believe in you then they won’t believe in your vision.”

So, what was her vision? “My vision for EleVen is that whoever wears it will have a fashionable fate,” she says. “Whether you’re in the car or at the gym, or if you happen to play tennis like I do, you’ll look good and feel good.”
-sandra barrera (NYT)