Naomi Osaka opened her 2026 Australian Open campaign with an unforgettable fashion moment that has got everyone talking.

She ended 2025 at the U. S Open in trend with carrying matching Labubu dolls with sparkly red and purple outfits and removable rose bedazzled hair extensions. But this year, Osaka has gone 'experimental', just as her Instagram bio reads.

“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 4x Grand Slam champion told Vogue. And sure enough, the vision matched the final look.

“Nike let me design this one. It’s modeled after a jellyfish,” Osaka explained. “I’m so grateful that I get to do the things that I love. It’s really beautiful.”

The walk-on kit featured turquoise and green tones with flowing, organic tendrils that flowed from a hat to mimic jellyfish-like motion. It was paired with a white umbrella and flowy, wide-legged pants. The performance outfit also had the frilly tendrils in ocean-like hues of green and blue.

The inspiration for the concept began at home while reading to her two-year-old daughter, Shai. “There was an image of a jellyfish, and when I showed it to her she got so excited”. That excitement became the foundation for the look that Osaka describes as “the birth of something new,” representing “energy, transformation, and excitement” at this stage of her life.

She gave a shout-out to Robert Wun, who helped create the dramatic walk-on look. During the on-court interview, she pointed to more details.

“There’s a butterfly on the hat. There’s a butterfly on the umbrella, too. It has to do with the Australian Open I won in 2021, which I guess is a long time ago”, she added with a laugh.

She wore butterfly-themed shoes at the 2022 Australian Open as a homage to the moment. Some other memorable outfits include a Sailor moon styled hairdo, oversized bows on bomber jackets, and the Japanese flag-inspired red and white braids at the 2020 Olympics.

But not everyone was a fan of this year's fit

Former German tennis player Boris Becker called the outfit “iconic” but “contradictory”. He underlined that “the focus here is on the sport.”

But he acknowledged the boldness, “The way she entered the court is already iconic. No other player has dared to wear such an outfit—but she did.” Aryna Sabalenka went on to call Osaka’s clothes ‘pretty cool', “It’s pretty free world. There is no judgment”.

However, the fashion statement was merely but a prelude. Osaka follows her fashion statements with sport prowess- a three-set victory, serving 11 aces in the process and displaying more athleticism and grit in crucial spots against Antonia Ružić.

As Osaka moves further along in the tournament, both her fashion and tennis will be on the radar of the world.

What do you think of the 'iconic' outfit?

Written by

Fatema Kapasi

Edited by

Joyita Das