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Naomi Osaka will sport a flirty-inspired look at the US Open.
When the 26-year-old US Open champion steps into the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center this week, she will pay homage to the Japanese Lolita subculture with a frilly, bow-heavy look with a black-and-white gothic twist. Designed by Yoon Ahn, who co-founded Tokyo label Ambush in 2008 and began collaborating with Nike in 2018, the look was inspired by the tennis player’s first visit to Japan.
“The inspiration for me was definitely Japanese, like Harajuku,” she explained to the The New York Times about her next look. “I remember one of the first times I went to Japan, I saw so many ruffles and so many bows.”
“I always feel like stepping on the court is a transformation for me,” she added of the US Open. “I think it’s great to put emphasis on that, especially here in New York. In New York, the tennis court is more like a stage.”
When she and Ahn conceptualized the look, the designer told her that nothing was beyond the realm of possibility.
“She sent me some gothic ‘Lolita’ style looks that she was really into at the time,” Ahn recalled. “They come out and wear pink, ruffles, bows, lace. It’s all about embracing cuteness and femininity.”
In the end, two versions of Osaka's US Open look were created: one in black, for night matches, and one in green, for daytime competition. Osaka's one-year-old daughter, Shai, also received her own version of the Nike outfits, for when she can watch her mother take the court.
Osaka's fun look follows in the footsteps of former tennis champion Serena Williams, who was no stranger to fashion-forward looks on the court. From skintight bodysuits to tutus, Williams turned heads with her extravagance, but normalized US Open players having fun with their looks on the court. Given the precedent set, Osaka believes her look is far from risqué.
“I don’t think there’s anything risky about this,” she said. “I think it’s a beautiful piece. I’ve lived in the era where Serena taking off her jacket was the moment to reveal the secret. So, for me, to offer someone else that experience is exciting.”
She added that collaborating with Ahn to create a spectacular moment of her own has been nothing short of empowering, leading her to feel more comfortable and confident in her skin on and off the court.
“I think fashion can do something magical,” she said. “I think when I put on my US Open outfit, I feel a transformation.”
The US Open champion made her debut at the competition as a surprise after being ranked 85th, despite previous victories in 2018 and 2020. This year, she has said she has struggled to find her footing after returning from maternity leave in January. Earlier this month, she wrote that what she was most concerned about was not her ranking, but her body image.
“My biggest problem right now is not the losses,” she wrote on Instagram. “My biggest problem is that I don’t feel like I’m in my body.”
Days later, she announced on Threads that her next US Open outfit would be “the best outfit I've ever worn,” changing her Instagram profile picture to Sailor Moon, referencing the character's penchant for bows.
