Maria Sharapova: Fashion maven in the making

If you watched any of the coverage of New York Fashion Week, you might have noticed a particular celebrity often sitting front row at the most sought over shows such as: Vera Wang, Marc Jacobs, and Oscar de la Renta.  I am not talking about Vogue Editor-In-Chief and ultimate Roger Federer fan Anna Wintour, rather I am talking about the number 2 women's tennis player in the world, Maria Sharapova.

In addition to her achievements in the tennis world, Maria is also conquering the fashion world, designing for brands such as Tag Heuer, Nike, and (my personal favorite) Cole Haan.  But unlike many celebrities who "design" for certain brands, Maria intimately intertwines her own fashion sense into everything she creates, whether it is a watch or ballet flats.  

Maria was recently interviewed by Gulf News and talked candidly about her love of fashion and her own personal style.  She also was a guest fashion critic for Women's Wear Daily and gave her reviews on the all fashion shows she attended during New York Fashion Week.   She really is a fashion maven in the making.

Via Gulf News:

You've always listed fashion as one of your major interests besides tennis. How early in life did you know you were into fashion?

I remember very well my very first photo shoot for Tag Heuer with Patrick Demarchelier. It was back in 2004 at the end of the year. All of a sudden, I had stylists, hair and make-up artists to take care of me for the days. It was a dream come true. Since that day, I have become a fashonista.

Why did you decide to be a part of the Tag Heuer family?

My first Grand Slam win in 2004 called for a lot of media attention and Tag Heuer contacted me to become their ambassador. I was already a huge fan of the brand and it was an amazing offer to join a team of ambassadors such as Uma Thurman and Brad Pitt at that time. They let me into the fashion world through the big door. It has been like a fairy tale since then.

How closely do you think the line you've created for Tag Heuer resembles you as a sporting champion?

It resembles me as a woman, not as a tennis champion. The design is strong, straightforward and remains quite simple. It is a watch that is "dress up-dress down".

How much of Maria Sharapova is in the line you've designed?

A lot, obviously, but I also took into consideration the comments of the Tag Heuer design team and also feedback I got from previous designs. I was looking to design a watch that could appeal to young women around the globe yet with a strong design.

How would you describe your personal style?

My fashion motto is "less is more". I tend to pick what I really like and not go with what is "in" in fashion.

Via WWD:

On Vera Wang: “The elegance of Vera Wang was breathless to watch. She worked elegant and romantic materials in a neutral gray and nude color tone.” 

On Rodarte: “From patterned coats to knee-high lace-up boots, Rodarte had a clever energy, opening the show with one of my favorite U2 tunes.” 

On Marc Jacobs: “It was the over-the-top hats and the fabrics that caught my eye — brocades, tweeds and tulles with pops of color on a palette of blacks and grays.” 

On Oscar de la Renta: “A blend of a classic ladylike looks with a modern twist and intricate embellishment on traditional silhouettes or gorgeous ballgowns with tulle skirts that looked as if they could float down the runway. My favorite look was a white minidress adorned with paillettes and a puffed skirt.”

To see more of these interviews with Maria, just click the links.

Photo:  Getty Images