Naomi Osaka made quite the entrance at the Australian Open today, wowing the crowd with a remarkable outfit inspired by the jellyfish.
Osaka, a two-time champion in Melbourne, walked out on to Rod Laver Arena for her first-round match against Croatian Antonia Ruzic dressed in a wide-brimmed hat, veil and flared white trousers. The look was topped off by an umbrella.
Osaka conjures up idea after bedtime story
The 28-year-old explained before the tournament what she intended to do and also the reasons behind it, telling Vogue: “When I look back at the players who came before me, I think about how those moments – those looks – have become memories that live forever.
“So much of the time, other people get to write our stories for us. This felt like a moment where I could write a little bit of my own.”
The outfit was designed by Robert Wun, whose creations have been worn previously by pop stars such as Beyonce, Cardi B and Ariana Grande.
And the inspiration came from reading a bedtime story to her two-year-old daughter.
“There was an image of a jellyfish, and when I showed it to her she got so excited,” she says.
Outfit will put Osaka back in the limelight
That was when Nike and Wun got to work.
“It translated beautifully into the movement and fluidity of the sheer layers on the dress and the jacket. When I saw it during the fitting, I remember thinking, ‘this is beautiful,’ but also feeling like the story wasn’t fully finished yet.”
Osaka is the 16th seed at the season’s first grand slam event having struggled to maintain the form that saw her reach the world number one ranking in 2019.
There were signs of a resurgence at last year’s US Open, however, when she reached the semi-finals, her first run to the last four at a major since 2021.
