Naomi Osaka's Custom 'Goth' US Open Look Is Her 'Best Outfit Ever' — Yes, Nike Does Ruffles!

Naomi Osaka makes the tennis court her runway.

Ahead of the 26-year-old’s return to the US Open on Tuesday, August 27, the athlete debuted her custom Nike competition look, which she previously teased on Threads as “the best outfit I’ve ever worn.”

This week, Osaka will take to the court in a black bomber jacket with a large white ribbon emblazoned on the back. She will wear a black tennis dress with a small white bow around her waist and a tiered ruffled skirt underneath. There are also little bows on the back of her shoes.

In conversation with The New York TimesOsaka, who was born in Japan and moved to the U.S. when she was 3, says the bow and ruffle details are inspired by Japanese culture. “I remember when I went to Japan one of the first times, I saw so many ruffles and so many bows,” she said.

The designer behind the look, Yoon Ahn, told the Outlet that Osaka shared Japanese subculture references in the early stages of their collaboration.

Naomi Osaka.

Nike

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“She sent me a few looks of that ‘Lolita’ goth thing that she was really rocking at the time,” Ahn said. “They come out and wear pink, ruffles, bows, lace. It’s about really owning cuteness and girly appeal.”

Naomi Osaka.

Nike

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Ahn co-founded Tokyo-based label Ambush in 2008 and began working with Nike in 2018. On Tuesday, August 27, she releases an eight-piece collection of vintage tennis-inspired apparel for Nike Women.

In his interview for timeOsaka also cited ballet as a source of inspiration for her US Open look. “Actually, my movement coach is a ballerina,” the athlete shared. “She’s also my mental coach. So maybe I thought about it subconsciously. Before I met her, I thought ballerinas were just flexible, but then I realized they’re all incredibly strong.”

Naomi Osaka.

Nike

Despite the fact that the ensemble is non-traditional for the sport, Osaka says she doesn’t think there’s “anything risky” about it. “I think it’s a beautiful garment,” she says. “I lived in the age when Serena [Williams] taking off the jacket was a revelation. So maybe giving someone else that experience is exciting for me.”

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Earlier this month, Osaka opened up about the “traumatic” birth of her first child, daughter Shai, who she welcomes with rapper Cordae in July 2023.

“I just want to say that I’m not pregnant, but if I was, I wouldn’t want much more,” she said via a TikTok video in response to a comment on a previous video in which she questioned whether she was pregnant, “because giving birth was traumatic, but thank you for with your blessings.”

Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education