Naomi Osaka is a three-time Grand Slam champion, Sports Illustrated Sportswoman of the Year, and a Vogue cover model. Now, the tennis star is also the new face of Louis Vuitton.
“Aside from tennis, my most treasured passion is fashion,” Osaka said in a press release. “There is no brand more iconic than Louis Vuitton.”
This month, Louis Vuitton announced that Osaka would be the fashion house’s newest brand ambassador for its upcoming Spring-Summer 2021 campaign.
The announcement was shared via Instagram with a photo of Osaka and Louis Vuitton’s creative director, Nicholas Ghesquiere. Ghesquierre wrote that he chose the tennis star for more than her keen sense of fashion in the post.
“Naomi is an exceptional woman who represents her generation and is also a role model for everyone. Her career and convictions are inspiring.”
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Using Fashion for a Greater Cause
Ghesquiere’s statement rings true for those who watched Osaka at the 2020 US Open. During the tournament, she participated in her version of the “say their names” movement. For each round, she sported seven different names of people whose lives were taken at the hands of police brutality.
“I feel like I’m a vessel at this point, in order to spread awareness,” she said at a press conference in response to positive messages from the victims’ families. “It’s not going to dull the pain, but hopefully, I can help with anything they need.”
The tournament wasn’t the only time Osaka has used fashion to represent her cultural identity. Last year at New York Fashion Week, she partnered with the Japanese label ADEAM to showcase traditional and contemporary Japanese style.
Her LV Partnership is a “Full Circle Moment”
Although the partnership with Louis Vuitton seems like just another addition to her laundry list of achievements, Osaka took to Instagram to share just how humbling the accomplishment actually is.
“Wow this is actually crazy. Honored to be @louisvuitton newest House Ambassador,” she wrote. “Funny story: I first bought my mom a LV bag when I was 16 as a birthday present and it’s kinda been a tradition since. Do I call this a full circle moment? Yes.”
