Serena Williams criticized a cotton decoration in a NYC hotel, linking it to slavery’s history, after a SKIMS-Nike event.

Serena Williams expressed discomfort with a cotton plant decoration in a New York City hotel, sharing a video on Instagram Stories on September 25, 2025. She questioned the use of cotton as decor, reacting with a visible cringe while holding the material, which she compared to nail polish remover cotton. The moment occurred during a visit to the hotel after attending a SKIMS event tied to a Nike collaboration featuring athletes like Sha’Carri Richardson and Chloe Kim. Williams, reflecting on personal challenges and mental health, sparked conversation about cotton’s historical ties to slavery, though she did not elaborate. The incident unfolded amid her ongoing public visibility and advocacy work.