The deeper meaning behind Naomi Osaka’s ruffles and bows at the US Open
She’s taking a bow in style.
Naomi Osaka, 26, made a statement at the 2024 US Open, where she’s worn the same bow-embellished outfit in two different shades for the first and second rounds of the tennis tournament.
The tennis pro hit the court on Thursday for her match against Karolína Muchová wearing a second custom look from Ambush’s Yoon Ahn, created in collaboration with Nike.
The set consisted of a black zip-up jacket that featured a large white bow on the back along with a coordinating black skirt that was layered over white tulle.
The KINLÒ skincare founder later stripped off the bold pieces as she played, revealing a ruffled black athletic dress underneath. The design included a bow on the back and perfectly coordinated with her black Nike sneakers. Plus, made her entrance in ruffle-adorned Beats headphones and added a pop of intrigue with pearls dotting her hair.
The phenom posed in the same outfit for The New York Times, where she revealed the inspiration behind the coquettish looks, which pay homage to her Japanese heritage.
“The inspiration for me was definitely Japanese, like Harajuku. I remember one of the first times I went to Japan, I saw so many frills and so many bows,” Osaka said.
“I wouldn’t automatically associate myself with being girlish when I’m on the court, but I tend to gravitate toward really beautiful and cute things,” she continued. “I think there’s something quite cool in making that an emphasis, especially here in New York. In New York, the tennis court is more like a stage.”
“She sent me a few looks of this ‘Lolita’ goth thing she was really vibing at that moment,” Ahn told the paper. “They go out and wear pink, frills, bows, lace. It’s about really owning the cutesy-ness and the girly-hood.
”The black-and-white look followed her debut match at the US Open on Thursday. For her big win against opponent Jelena Ostapenko, Osaka chose the same set in bright green and white.
“Whew I haven’t seen a tennis fit this hard since Serena’s cat suit ,” a fan commented on the four-time Grand Slam champion’s Instagram after she shared photos from the match.
“Outfit is giving brat summer 3600000,” another noted, referencing Charli XCX’s ubiquitous green album cover.
In addition to her green visor, the athlete also sported Jennifer Behr Primavera Hairpins ($298), which were tucked her braids before her hair was pulled into a ponytail.
While Osaka’s time at the 2024 US Open is sadly over following her loss to Muchová, we’re sure this isn’t the last we’ll see of her impeccable style.
