- Naomi Osaka’s custom outfit honored Japanese culture with kimono-inspired design.
- Her fashion choices draw as much attention as her tennis performance.
- Osaka’s presence challenges tennis’s historic exclusion of Black and diverse athletes.
Black folks practically created the color-coordinated activity. We love to put it on. We love to shine. There’s just something about pulling together the perfect outfit and showing our personal style. The fashion girls that get it, get it.
So it’s no surprise that Naomi Osaka made Wimbledon’s famously strict all-white dress code her own. Arriving for her first match on Monday, June 29, she turned the tournament into a fashion conversation rocking a wedding-dress-inspired fit to honor her Japanese heritage.
“I thought that was really fun,” Naomi said to press. “It increased the pressure not to wear a ball gown and drop out in the first round.”
Naomi is a fashion girl and loves to take risks. And as she prepares for international matchups on one of tennis’ biggest stages, she reminds us that she’s one of the most fearless competitors in the game and style slayers at the same time.
Naomi Osaka At Wimbledon: A Love Letter To Her Japanese Heritage & Shout Out To Lucy Liu
Working with Tokyo-based designer Hana Yagi, Naomi arrived in a custom all-white look inspired by the traditional Japanese shiromuku wedding dress. The stunning ensemble was created using upcycled textiles, including vintage kimonos and discarded fabrics from a traditional Japanese wedding dress.
The outer layer brought the drama with embroidered cranes and cherry blossoms. A wide obi belt cinched the silhouette. Naomi completed the look with a traditional kanzashi hair ornament. Underneath, she revealed a custom white Nike performance dress inspired by Japanese kirigami paper-cutting.
“I think about the most iconic silhouette, which for me is a kimono,” Naomi said in press interviews. “You don’t have to see the color of a kimono to know that it is a kimono.”
She also shared one of the inspirations behind the look: Lucy Liu.
“I remembered absolutely falling in love with Lucy Liu’s character in Kill Bill. She has an all-white kimono, and I remember thinking that was really cool and amazing. Then it just kind of went from there. It was my interpretation of that while also paying a lot of respect and love to Japan.”
Naomi Osaka At Wimbledon: Why This Moment Matters
Naomi’s tennis looks have become almost as anticipated as her matches. Fans wait to see what she’ll wear just as much as they wait to see how she’ll play.
At Wimbledon, that attention means even more.
The tournament is one of the most historic stages in sports. It is also known for its strict all-white dress code, a tradition long tied to prestige, status and exclusivity. For generations, tennis carried a very narrow idea of who belonged on its biggest courts. Black women players had to fight through discrimination while proving their place and worth in the sport.
Fast forward to today, and Naomi is continuing that legacy in her own way.
Her Wimbledon look was a celebration of heritage, identity and self-expression. It also showed what happens when an athlete uses every platform to show exactly who she is. Naomi is growing into a fashion, sports and culture icon because she brings her full self to the court every time.
Seeing a young Black and Japanese woman honor her culture on one of tennis’s most prestigious stages makes us smile. It makes us proud. It also reminds us that Black women continue to shift the narrative every time we show up and show out.
As Wimbledon continues, we’ll be cheering Naomi on while keeping an eye on other Black women competing. Serena and Venus Williams return together in the doubles draw after receiving a wildcard into the tournament. Serena will also play singles today, Tuesday, June 30.
Ace Appeal: Naomi Osaka’s Whimsical Wedding Dress-Inspired Wimbledon Look Is Stunning
was originally published on
hellobeautiful.com
