Serena Williams is the new global brand ambassador for Stuart Weitzman

Footwear company Stuart Weitzman has announced that the tennis superstar Serena Williams will be its new international spokeswoman. The athlete, who is particularly committed to promoting gender equality in the world of sport, appears in the luxury brand's latest campaign.

Having called on the services of sought-after models, who are stars both on the runway and on social networks, this year, the American footwear company Stuart Weitzman has turned to the world of sport to recruit its latest ambassador. Considered to be the most successful women's tennis player of all time, Serena Williams has now become the new spokeswoman for the luxury brand.

The tennis player, who is following in the footsteps of such fashion icons as Kendall Jenner, Gigi Hadid, Gisele Bündchen and Kate Moss, features in a new campaign shot in black and white by Ethan James Green. Clad in a leotard and a blazer, Serena Williams poses with her usual charisma on a podium to show off some of the brand's leading models including the Aleena heeled sandals.

Stuart Weitzman's decision to enlist the tennis star was by no means an arbitrary one. As the brand points out on social networks, the campaign has been built around "the notion of women standing as pillars of hope and optimism for their communities."

Whether on or off the tennis court, Serena Williams has consistently sought to be a voice of encouragement for women. Her commitment to the cause is also evidenced in her own Serena ready-to-wear collection, an initiative that aims to promote inclusiveness and diversity, and her recent partnership with Secret Deodorant which, among other things, seeks to ensure gender equality in sport.