Osaka Opens US Open in Allen Iverson Tribute Outfit
The two-time champion walked onto Arthur Ashe Stadium in a custom tulle gown with newspaper clippings sewn into the fabric.
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The On-Court Look
Naomi Osaka walked onto Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York on Monday night for her first-round match at the US Open, one of tennis's four major tournaments, wearing an outfit built as a tribute to the retired NBA guard Allen Iverson.
The Mail Online reported that Osaka wore Iverson's trademark arm sleeves and headband with a wide floor-length tulle skirt and a sleeveless hoodie. Burnout newspaper clippings of her own career were sewn into the grey, tattered fabric.
Vogue described the piece as a custom tulle and French terry gown by the label Who Decides War, styled by Law Roach. Her opponent was Anastasia Zakharova, an unseeded player from Russia.
How the Outfit Came Together
Osaka told Vogue that Nike's kits for its athletes this season were inspired by basketball, which pushed her toward Iverson. "He was an elite player on the court but also found a way to authentically merge culture, sports, and fashion," she said.
Roach was the "creative force" behind the collaboration, Osaka said, helping choose the brand after she shared her concepts and reference photos. She first found Who Decides War through her own research into emerging designers a few years ago.
Designers Téla D'Amore and Ev Bravado said they were sent two images of Iverson wearing a headband, cropped to the head only, and had roughly 30 hours to work out the rest. Osaka said the press clippings were a late addition from Roach that she approved immediately.
Iverson and the Build-Up
Speaking to reporters earlier in the week, Osaka called Iverson a trailblazer. "Whether it's on purpose or not, he's shifted the way that NBA players dress," she said.
She has never spoken to Iverson, who the Mail Online notes is 51 and a former Philadelphia 76ers point guard and 2001 NBA Most Valuable Player. According to the Mail Online, she said "hopefully he'll see this."
At media day at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center on Saturday, Osaka wore a throwback Allen Iverson shirt and a 1997 US Open hat bought on eBay, the year she was born. She is ranked World No. 13, reached the semifinals in New York last year, and is still seeking her first WTA Tour title of the season after losing to Elena Rybakina in the Toronto quarterfinals.
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