Venus Williams says Met Gala look aims to put spotlight on women's health research
The first Monday of May puts fashion, art and culture on full display at the Met Gala.
As celebrities ascend the iconic Metropolitan Museum of Art steps at the 2026 gala Monday night, Venus Williams, one of this year's co-hosts, is pulling back the curtain on another new project.
Williams, a co-chair of this year's "Costume Art"-themed evening alongside Anna Wintour, Beyoncé, and Nicole Kidman, spoke to ABC News ahead of the gala about her look, which she said puts a spotlight on women's sports science.
"I was very hands-on in the design process," Williams said of her Met Gala look, which included custom Swarovski jewelry and accessories. "It was really important to me that every detail had intention and meaning."
Williams' look features elements of "6%," which she said is a nod to the amount of sports science research focused on women.
Williams is the first ambassador for Gatorade's newly announced Body of Science global research initiative, which aims to close the gender gap and focus exclusively on women's bodies and performance. According to Gatorade, only 6% of sports science research focuses exclusively on women.
"The stunning pieces aren't just decorative, they're an extension of the Body of Science campaign," Williams said. "When people see the six, we want them to ask 'Why?' That question opens the door to a much larger conversation about equity in sports science."
The seven-time Grand Slam singles champion said the partnership with Gatorade is "really personal."
She noted that she's long been a proponent for gender equity on and off the court. Williams has also been open about her own health struggles, including struggling with uterine fibroids and battling Sjögren's syndrome, an autoimmune disease.
"For decades, women like me have been pushing our bodies to the limit every day, based on research designed for men," Williams said. "For a brand that has a platform and was founded on science to actually take action for women, it means everything."
Around the world, women's healthcare overall has historically been underfunded and under-researched, data shows.
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According to PepsiCo, Gatorade's parent company, the Body of Science initiative will "study women's needs across life stages and critical moments, including the menstrual cycle, pregnancy, and perimenopause."
PepsiCo said the research will be led by the Gatorade Sports Science Institute but did not provide further details. According to the company, around 500 women have participated in early research.
Williams attended Monday night's Met Gala with her husband, Andrea Preti, whom she wed last year.
