Naomi Osaka Wows At Wimbledon With A Kimono-Inspired Outfit
Last Updated:
Tennis player Naomi Osaka played against French player Elsa Jacquemot and won 6-1 7-5.
News18
Naomi Osaka has been consistently serving, both with her fashion looks and game, at each of the tennis matches she plays. The 28-year-old played at Wimbledon recently and wowed the audience with her fit, which was a nod to her culture and the popular scene from the 2003 movie Kill Bill, which she said she loves.
The tennis player walked onto the court in a white tennis dress that was inspired by a kimono, the traditional ceremonial garment of Japan, and is worn by wrapping the left side of the garment over the right. It had long sleeves, and it cinched in the middle with a belt-type cloth.
According to Vogue, the kimono was crafted by Japanese designer Hana Yagi, who is based in Tokyo. This national garment was made by upcycling vintage kimonos, a traditional shiromuku wedding dress and a deconstructed bridal gown. Taking inspiration from the traditional Japanese imagery, the kimono was designed with cranes and cherry blossoms. When she was ready to start the game, Naomi Osaka removed the outer layers to reveal a regulation-compliant Nike dress with matching embroidery.
“I like to use fashion as a medium for storytelling,” the tennis legend, adding, “Every walk-out is an opportunity to bring people into my creative world.”
Speaking after her Wimbledon 6-1 7-5 victory over French player Elsa Jacquemot, Naomi Osaka said, “When I think about Wimbledon, it’s obviously the all-white. There’s obviously the tradition of it all. In my head, when I think about that, I think about my cultures, my heritage, which is Japanese and Haitian.”
She went on to add, “If I dive deeper into Japanese culture, I think about the most iconic silhouette, which for me is a kimono. You don’t have to see the colour of a kimono to know that it is a kimono. I was thinking about my favourite movies also. I love Kill Bill. I remembered absolutely falling in love with Lucy Liu’s character. She has an all-white kimono, and I remember thinking that was really cool. Then it just kind of went from there. It was like my interpretation of that, while also paying a lot of respect and love to Japan.”
About the Author
Abigail Banerji is a Senior Sub Editor with News18’s English desk. She brings 6 years of experience across both print and digital newsrooms, spanning editorial planning, reportage, copy editing, conte…Read More
