The best roster to be on is a paying one, and everyone knows one of the biggest perks of being in sports is scoring a brand deal. For tennis superstar Naomi Osaka, it doesn’t get much bigger than her partnership with Nike, which recently revealed a collection from her that includes polos, T-shirts, sweatshirts, sports tops, shorts, and accessories like fanny packs, along with a new minimalistic logo.
Osaka joined Nike in 2019 after leaving the sportswear brand’s main rival, Adidas, in an $8.5 million deal. Seeing as Osaka could very well be the next Serena Williams, who is one of Nike’s most prominent signature athletes, the company probably sees the transaction as worth every penny.
Fashion fiend —
The 23-year-old has already established herself as a tennis fashion icon with her custom Nike outfits. Back in February, Osaka made her New York Fashion Week debut in collaboration with Japanese-American brand Adeam, and their Fall 2020 capsule collection dropped online in September. The collection featured similar oversized designs to her new Nike off-court collection that pays tribute to her multicultural roots in Japan, Haiti, and the U.S.
The announcement of her Nike capsule comes a few days after we got our first peek at Osaka's Blazer Mid sneaker, an upcoming collab between the player, Nike, and Comme des Garçons.
Breaking down the pieces —
Composed of casual items, the collection includes bright green and orange ribbed sports tops, black leggings with neon contrast stitching, and a flashy orange beanie. Most pieces from the collection feature a white logo that resembles the athlete’s initials “NO” influenced by the Japanese flag.
Out of the entire lineup, the most wearable is a white hoodie with a bold graphic of a cat holding a Nike-branded tennis racket. The back of it also bears Osaka’s name, while the arms are decorated with flags from Japan, Haiti, and the U.S. Funky details on the ribbed sports tops, however, make them my favorite. And if what you want is a long-sleeve top, there are a couple neon orange and green pieces that feature lettuce hems and seams, and their sheer fabric makes them perfect for layering.
A camo-print, long-sleeved top with a design inspired by the coordinates of Japan, Haiti, and the U.S. is the upcoming launch's standout piece. Its camouflage pattern was made when digits from each nation were fed through a digital algorithm to create the unique look.
Osaka’s new apparel collection with Nike launches November 16 in Japan and the Americas. Whether you’re planning on wearing it actively or just for the hype, the collection’s simplicity makes its styling super flexible. We can’t promise you’ll win three Grand Slam championships wearing it, but you’ll probably feel just as good.
