Naomi Osaka
Athlete
The four-time Grand Slam champion has brought fashion onto the tennis court in daring looks by Kevin Germanier.
Naomi Osaka is a professional tennis player who has won four Grand Slam singles titles and brought high fashion onto the tennis court. During pre-match tunnel entrances, she has worn a Kevin Germanier corset and overskirt at the French Open, a Hana Yagi kimono-inspired layering at Wimbledon and crystal bubble-hem Nike designs at the US Open.
Born in 1997 in Osaka, Japan, to a Haitian father and a Japanese mother, Osaka relocated to the United States at age three and trained in Florida. She established her global athletic platform by winning championships at the US Open in 2018 and 2020 and the Australian Open in 2019 and 2021.
Signing a multi-year apparel and footwear partnership with Nike in 2019, Osaka developed signature on-court lines, unveiling a custom performance kit designed in collaboration with Yoon Ahn of Ambush at the 2024 US Open that featured Japanese Lolita-goth inspired ruffled dresses and detachable tulle skirts.
In 2021, Louis Vuitton women's artistic director Nicolas Ghesquière appointed Osaka a global house ambassador. That same year, she served as co-chair of the Met Gala wearing a custom Louis Vuitton ensemble she co-designed with Ghesquière and her sister Mari Osaka. She partnered with Victoria's Secret on a sleepwear and intimates collection in 2023.
She was the cover star of American Vogue's January 2021 issue, photographed by Annie Leibovitz, and has also appeared on covers for Vogue Japan and Vogue Hong Kong.
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What is The BoF 500?
The people shaping the global fashion industry, curated by the editors of The Business of Fashion, based on nominations and on-the-ground intelligence from around the world.
