With the release coinciding with the start of the US Open, Nike brought together tennis superstar Naomi Osaka and fashion designer Yoon Ahn. The well-known fashion designer and the four-time Grand Slam winner Osaka have made a collection that Ahn calls “one-of-a-kind day and night competition kits” for Osaka’s return to the US Open this year.
Alongside her tennis career, Osaka is best known for daring to talk openly about her mental health. Osaka’s return to tennis resonates far beyond the confines of the court.
Ahn has worked with Nike before, as well as with Louis Vuitton, Beats by Dre and Dr. Martens, to name a few. She is also Dior Men´s jewelry design director.
Osaka’s custom looks feature one-of-a-kind performance dresses designed to the exact specifications of her game, as well as walk-on skirts and jackets with oversized bows as distinctive as her dominance on the court.
“The inspiration that fueled the look for me – and this might be a Japanese term – is feeling like a ‘magical girl’ on the court,” Osaka said. “There’s a moment of transformation for me when I walk onto the court, and I have a lot of fun playing, so wanting everyone who sees the outfit to connect with that feeling is a really big motivation for me.”
