Naomi Osaka On the Fashion Armor She’s Bringing to Indian Wells and Miami

Today, Naomi Osaka marks her grand return to Indian Wells—aka the BNP Paribas Open—in the California desert: The four-time Grand Slam winner, seeded 16th, is facing off against Andorra’s 97th-ranked Victoria Jimenez Kasintseva, marking Osaka’s first tournament since withdrawing from the Australian Open in January due to a persistent abdominal injury. “I’m feeling really inspired,” Osaka told Vogue days before the big match. “Indian Wells is one of those tournaments that has its own energy—the desert, the light, the crowd. It feels cinematic in a way. I’m excited to step back into that space and compete again.”

Always one to flex a statement look on the court, Osaka was sure to bring her A-game—both in terms of skill and personal style—for her highly anticipated return to the tour. For both Indian Wells and the ensuing Miami Open, she’ll be wearing her customary Nike performance attire, as well as new custom pieces from the Filipino-American designer Chris Habana, whose striking jewelry pieces have adorned the likes of Beyoncé and Lady Gaga. “When I first saw my Nike kit, my team and I started asking a bigger question: How do we build a world around it?” says Osaka. “I’ve always loved magazines and fashion editorials, so my brain naturally went to jewelry and accessories—pieces that could extend the story.”

To go with her Nike ensemble built for movement, then—there’s an animal-printed top with a mesh back, and shorts—Habana crafted edgier, more avant-garde accessories for her, all of which immediately imbued Osaka with a sense of confidence and power. “He’s created these really layered pieces for artists that feel expressive, but also intentional,” says Osaka. I loved the idea of bringing that energy onto the court.” The Habana pieces include bold ear cuffs, mesh gloves, fang-like grills, and a chainmail skirt.

“One of the first things I wanted was a functional ear cuff that could hold my earbuds during warmups, but still feel cool,” says Osaka of how the collaboration began. “That piece became a little anchor for the collection.” For Habana, outfitting an athlete proved to be an exciting new challenge, given he is more so used to outfitting stars for the musical stage or the runway. But in navigating pieces built for the tennis world, the creative also saw a through-line in how he typically approaches his work. “Naomi’s walk onto the court isn’t that different from a model walking a runway,” he says. “The look has to create instant impact, tell a story, and intrigue people. The biggest challenge was designing pieces that could come on and off seamlessly so her transition into the match didn’t feel cumbersome.”

From there, Osaka and Habana evolved the story, and came up with pieces like gloves and grills that further help get her into a game-ready headspace. “The pieces will keep evolving through the tournaments. You’ll see different combinations depending on how I’m feeling that day,” says Osaka. “I love the finger gloves with claw details. You can wear everything together or break it apart, so each piece becomes its own little layer of armor. It’s playful but still powerful.”

Habana adds that he has always treated his jewelry as a form of protection—so it was only natural that Osaka’s custom gear had this same spirit. “Our jewelry has always carried an armor-like quality to it,” he says. “In sports, there’s an aggression and a competitive energy that athletes bring to the arena, and the shapes in our jewelry reflect that same sense of fight—balancing both offensive and defensive elements.”

As Osaka continues to sport the pieces over the next month—post-Indian Wells, she heads to the Miami Open, which kicks off on March 15—she hopes the pieces will ignite some conversations among tennis and fashion aficionados alike. “I can’t control how people interpret things, but I hope the pieces spark curiosity,” says Osaka. “Maybe someone sees them and wonders about the designer, or about why they exist on a tennis court. I like when fashion creates that little moment of intrigue.”

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