Naomi Osaka made a stunning entrance at Wimbledon ahead of her first-round match against Elsa Jacquemot on Court No3, wearing a flowing white dress inspired by Japanese ceremonial attire. The four-time major champion, known for her extravagant walk-on outfits, adhered to the All England Club's strict all-white dress code with a kimono-inspired design featuring a layered skirt, open sleeves with dove wing decoration, and a chunky obi belt.
Osaka's Signature Flamboyant Entrances
The former World No1 has made a ritual of arriving on court in striking outfits. At the French Open, she wore a black corset and matching skirt over a glittering gold piece, which she likened to the Eiffel Tower at night. Earlier at the Australian Open, she donned a 'jellyfish-inspired' blue dress with turquoise ribbons, dedicated to her two-year-old daughter Shai, whom she shares with American rapper Cordae. Osaka said Nike allowed her to design that outfit herself, which included a sunhat and veil.
Wimbledon's All-White Dress Code
All England Club chief Sally Bolton confirmed that Osaka's outfit met the tournament's requirements. 'We're very relaxed, so long as it meets the all-white dress code,' Bolton told reporters on Monday. 'I haven't had any conversations with her about what she wears, but as for any of our athletes coming onto court, all they have to do is follow the all-white dress code. We haven't got any concerns that that will be an issue.'
Inspiration from Japanese Ceremonial Dress
Osaka's longtime creative director, Marty Harper, explained that Wimbledon's traditions were central to the concept. 'It's one of the few places in sport where ceremony still feels inseparable from competition,' he said. 'We wanted to acknowledge that while creating a dialogue with Japanese ceremonial dress. The starting point was the idea of Evolving Ceremony. The garment is constructed from vintage shiromuku [traditional Japanese bridal garments], kimono and wedding dresses – ceremonial garments originally created to mark important moments in people's lives.' Harper added, 'I wanted the garment to exist as the moment before performance. The walk-on surrounds Naomi in ceremony, while the Nike kit represents the athlete in competition. I thought about them as two chapters within the same story.'
