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Japanese champion tennis player Naomi Osaka is officially back on the court for the US Open and what better way to celebrate the occasion than with a Yoon x Nike collab? Osaka’s custom outfits for the Open have been designed for the exact specifications of her game, with the tennis champion sporting one-of-a-kind day and night competition kits, as well as walk-on skirts and jackets that feature oversized bows (a rare fashionable flourish in a world dominated by athleisure).
“The inspiration that fuelled the look for me – and this might be a Japanese term – is feeling like a ‘magical girl’ on the court,” Osaka says of her new kit. “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.”
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Alongside Osaka’s own outfits, a new apparel collection from Nike Women by Yoon will be launched that taps into Nike’s underlying innovation and design philosophy. The collection takes influence from vintage school uniforms and classic sport styles, evoking a rebellious, anarchistic teen aesthetic.
“We live in a girls’ world, and I wanted to embody that in Naomi’s on-court look as well as the collection,” Yoon Ahn says of her new designs. “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 percent 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 will be available across nike.com and selected Nike stores from today.
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