Naomi Osaka was the queen of the French Open on Tuesday when she stepped onto the court in a show-stopping ensemble created by Swiss couturier Kevin Germanier, and wowed the crowd with the dramatic look.
The 28-year-old arrived for her match against Germany’s Laura Siegemund in a custom black outfit, complete with a corset top that featured intricate beading, and a sheer pleated floor-length skirt.
The look was crafted from Naomi’s old competition gear and was worn over the top of a gold Nike two-piece set. “I wanted the outfit to feel romantic yet strong, reflecting Naomi’s energy and the emotion of playing on such an iconic stage,” Kevin told Vogue of his vision.
“After her magnificent Met look, it felt important to come back just as strong and powerful for this moment in Paris, mixing couture and sport, or as Naomi says so perfectly, ‘couture.‘”
After her head-turning entrance onto the court, Naomi shed the black number to reveal the gold Nike set, which featured a ruffled skirt and a peplum-style sleeveless top with gold sequins. After defeating her opponent on the court, the mother of one shared that the look was inspired by Paris’ famous Eiffel Tower.
“It’s very couture,” she said. “You know the Eiffel Tower at night when it’s sparkly. I kind of think I look like that a little bit.“ Naomi added that she had enjoyed bringing her fashion A-game to the court in recent months, particularly after she arrived at the Australian Open in a jellyfish-inspired outfit.
© dpa/picture alliance via Getty I“I’m a little used to it now,” she said. “The US Open, the roses in my hair, that’s when I started to really get into it a lot more. Obviously, with Australia, that was a real conversation starter. So I don’t really feel like it’s too much of a big deal to do that and then play after.“
“Athletes are in show business,” Naomi continued. “Grand Slam walk-ons are the only time that I possibly feel like I’m an entertainer.” The tennis champion shared that she brought backup Nike looks for her on-court performance on Tuesday, just in case the umpire had any qualms about her gold outfit.
© Getty Images“I actually got a little worried, because when the sun hits the dress, it reflects a lot. So I was a little scared that the umpire was going to kick me off the court. So I [had] two back-up normal Nike dresses.“
© Getty ImagesNaomi explained that she let her fashion do the talking most of the time, due to her reserved nature. “I don’t talk a lot, so that way I can talk through my clothes. I am a little dramatic when it comes to my fashion sense,” she quipped.
© Getty ImagesNaomi made a triumphant return to tennis in 2024 after taking time off to welcome her daughter, Shai, with her former partner, Cordae. She shared that the first year back on the court was particularly difficult until she learned that it was okay to ask for help.
“I’m the type of person that has a lot of pride, and I don’t like inconveniencing people, so I tend to hold off until the last second, but I realize that most people want to help. And when you ask for help, it’s not an inconvenience,” Naomi told People. “It took a long time for me to realize that in my life.“
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