Wimbledon requires white tennis players.
But Naomi Osaka isn’t letting a classic dress code get in the way of her iconic fashion-forward looks.
The tennis player took to the court at the British Tennis Open on Monday in a special Yagihana costume before the Grand Slam match at the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club in London.
The Tokyo-based designer created a coat for Osaka modeled after traditional Japanese formal wear. It features a wrap silhouette with a wide obi belt. The opaque fabric reached mid-thigh and featured a cascade of sheer ruffles that fell from the hem to the floor.
In the spirit of courtside couture, Yagi embroidered the fabric with cranes and cherry blossoms.
Osaka’s hair was tied tightly on top of her head and decorated with white flowers.
The tennis player wore diamond and pearl drop earrings ($6,000) and two matching diamond and pearl bangles ($16,000 each), turning to Japanese brand Mikimoto for her jewelry.
Osaka also shared both a video and two slideshows of the costume from all angles, revealing that the inspiration behind the look also came from Lucy Liu’s character in Kill Bill, captioning the post (which also included a photo of her fight scene): “Stupid bunny.”
Using Japanese tradition as inspiration, Osaka told VOGUE, “I like to use fashion as a storytelling medium,” adding, “Every time I go out, it’s an opportunity to bring people into my creative world. The fact that people are interested in it and excited to see what’s next is also really great.”
Wimbledon is a tournament steeped in tradition more than any other tournament, as evidenced by the long-standing demands of white tennis players on their attire.
“This is one of the few places in sports where the ceremony still feels like an integral part of the competition,” Osaka’s stylist Marty Harper told the magazine. “We wanted to acknowledge that while creating a dialogue with Japanese formal wear.”
Not only did they look to time-honored designs for inspiration for their clothing, but they also used vintage Shiromuku, traditional Japanese bridal gowns, wedding dresses, and antique kimonos.
When she was ready to pick up her racket, she slipped out of her walk-out look to reveal a sporty white Nike look underneath.
A fashion enthusiast, Osaka is known for appearing on court wearing attention-grabbing haute couture.
Last month’s French Open required sequins and frills, and for January’s Australian Open, a jellyfish costume was created in the image of her daughter. We can’t wait to see what else she has in store in London.
