Naomi Osaka made a statement at the French Open, blending couture and tennis. She stepped onto the court in a striking outfit for her first-round match.
Osaka’s High-Fashion Statement
Osaka’s outfit consisted of a black corset and matching pleated, cascading skirt. These were layered over a gold dress designed by Nike, striped with sequins. The sequins shimmered in the Paris sunshine.
Osaka sees blending high fashion into her tennis as a form of self-expression. It is also an homage to predecessors like Venus and Serena Williams. They defined an era of tennis fashion with their boundary-pushing designs.
Osaka collaborates directly with couturiers on her kits. She also has her own creative team. She even attended the Met Gala in New York between the Madrid and Italian Opens.
“I feel like fashion, for me, I tell people, I don’t talk a lot, so that way I can talk through my clothes. That means I can be as loud with colors or patterns or fabric as I want,” Osaka said at a news conference.
“That’s the fun part, you know. I feel like we lost that a little in tennis. I always tell people I grew up with Serena’s and Venus’ grand reveals. I literally can look at a picture and probably tell you what year that outfit came from.
“I know there are some kids or some people that are similar to me that hopefully feel that same way about my outfits. But, yeah, I am a little dramatic when it comes to my fashion sense.”
On-Court Performance and Outfit Details
Osaka’s tennis also shone. She secured a 6-3, 7-6(3) win against Laura Siegemund. Siegemund is known for disrupting opponents with her slice-laden game.
Osaka will face Donna Vekić in the second round. This will give fans another look at the outfit.
Osaka worked with couturier Kevin Germanier on her outfit. He is a designer who uses upcycled materials. The black skirt and corset evoke the shape of the Eiffel Tower. The Nike dress reminds Osaka of the landmark when it’s lit up at night.
The dress glittered so brightly that Osaka worried the umpire might not allow it. She feared it might distract her opponent.
“I got two backup normal Nike dresses — shoutout, Nike,” Osaka said, smiling. “Thank God I didn’t have to wear them, though.”
Osaka has been debuting high-fashion outfits at Grand Slams for years. She set a particularly high bar.
Osaka Advances at Roland Garros
- Osaka won her first-round match at the French Open.
- She wore a black corset and cascading skirt designed with Kevin Germanier.
- Osaka will face Donna Vekić in the second round.
The Athletic has live coverage of Day 4 of the 2026 French Open.