Serena Williams and Ruth Carter to Shine Spotlight on Fashion Designer Ann Lowe

Serena Williams and Ruth Carter are set to shine a spotlight on the late, obscure fashion designer Ann Lowe in an upcoming biopic titled “The Dress.” Lowe, who was known as American fashion’s “best-kept secret,” dressed some of the country’s most prominent families, including the Rockefellers and the Kennedys.

Born in Clayton, Alabama, Lowe came from a family of seamstresses who passed down their skills from generation to generation. Despite facing discrimination as a Black woman in the fashion industry, Lowe managed to open her own shop on Madison Avenue and design the iconic wedding dress worn by Jackie Kennedy during her marriage to John F. Kennedy.

The film, based on Piper Huguley’s novel “By Her Own Design,” will be produced by Williams and Currier through Nine Two Six Productions, with Carter serving as executive producer and costume designer. The screenplay will be written by Micah Fitzerman-Blue and Noah Harpster, known for their work on “A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood.”

In recent years, historians and fashion insiders have begun to shed light on Lowe’s remarkable career, which spanned four decades. An exhibition dedicated to her work opened at the Winterthur Museum, Garden and Library in Delaware, showcasing her impact on American fashion.

Elizabeth Way, associate curator at The Museum at the Fashion Institute of Technology, praised Lowe’s innovative designs and craftsmanship, highlighting her influence on the fashion industry. With Williams and Carter at the helm, Lowe’s legacy is sure to receive the recognition it deserves in this upcoming biopic.