Naomi Osaka thinks fashion has "evolved a lot" in recent years.
Naomi Osaka on her latest collaboration with Nike
The 26-year-old tennis superstar, who is known for her collaborations with Tag Heuer, Adeam, and Louis Vuitton, is set to debut her latest collection with Nike which she designed with Yoon Ahn at the U.S. Open and noted that people seem to be a lot more "free" with their clothing choices these days.
She told WWD: "Fashion has evolved a lot. I think it's probably a lot more welcoming. I think from my standpoint, I feel like a lot more people feel the freedom of expression with fashion and I think that’s a beautiful thing.
‘And as a tennis player and as a person that loves streetwear, I really love that I’m wearing Tag Heuer on the court.
‘It makes me feel I’m a lot stronger. One of their very famous catchphrases or quotes is “pressure is privilege” and also “don't crack under pressure”. I feel like for me it’s something that I try to embody when I play.’
The custom looks include vibrant green and sleek black performance dresses, along with skirts and jackets featuring oversized bows.
'The inspiration that fueled the look for me — and this might be a Japanese term — is feeling like a ‘magical girl’ on the court,' Osaka told Hype Beast. 'There’s a moment of transformation for me when I walk onto the court, and I have a lot of fun playing, so wanting everyone who sees the outfit to connect with that feeling is a really big motivation for me.'
Speaking about the collection, Yoon Ahn, the Tokyo-based designer who also just released a full tennis collection for the brand, said: 'We live in a girls’ world, and I wanted to embody that in Naomi’s on-court look as well as the collection.
'For Naomi’s look, she brought forward a vision and it was my job as a designer to create something that she’ll feel confident and comfortable in when she walks onto the court, allowing her to bring 100% of herself. The collection is an extension of that idea, allowing women to bring out their character and enhance their own personal styles.'
The Nike Women by Yoon collection drops online and in select retailers on August 27.