Written by Oscar Holland, CNN
Naomi Osaka has been presented as the new ambassador of the Louis Vuitton brand, with the French label
announcing the association along with color images of the latest tennis star fashion session.
The three-time Grand Slam winner, who currently ranks third in the world, will appear on the label’s Spring-Summer 2021 campaign.
“Wow, that’s crazy,” the Japanese star wrote on both her Twitter and Instagram accounts. “Honored to be the new Ambassador of the House of @ LouisVuitton.
“Funny story: I first bought my mother a BT bag when I was 16 as a birthday present and it’s been a tradition ever since. Do I call it full circle moment? Yes.”
In a press release, Louis Vuitton described Osaka as “multifaceted, independent and modern” and “perfectly embodied Louis Vuitton’s wife.”
The label accompanied the ad with photos of the campaign taken by the artistic director of the women’s collections, Nicolas Ghesquière, for his next Spring-Summer 2021. In them, Osaka is seen dressed in a dress in bold colors while holding a bag with the distinctive monogram on the label.
On Instagram, Ghesquière described Osaka as “an exceptional young woman who represents her generation and is a role model for everyone.
“Her career and convictions are inspiring and I am afraid of Naomi,” she wrote. “She stays true to herself and doesn’t commit to her values. I’m looking forward to sharing new projects with Naomi next year!”
During the U.S. opening, Osaka, of Haitian and Japanese descent, was widely praised for supporting the Black Lives Matter protests that erupted last summer. In each of his seven matches of the 2020 tournament, he wore face masks with the name of a different victim of alleged police or racist violence in the United States.
He told reporters at the time, “I’m aware that tennis is watched all over the world and maybe there’s someone who doesn’t know Breonna Taylor’s story. Maybe they’ll like Google or something.”
Osaka has also used fashion to proudly celebrate its Japanese identity. At New York Fashion Week, she showcased her first collection of capsules, designed in collaboration with the Japanese label ADEAM, featuring structural cloths and ruffles, which fused traditional and contemporary Japanese design elements.
The announcement comes shortly after the 23-year-old’s first appearance on the cover of American Vogue. The January 2021 issue of the magazine saw her posing in a slippery Louis Vuitton dress during an outdoor cover session with famed photographer Annie Leibovitz.
This is just the latest sporting foray for the French label, although its recent sports associations have been in its men’s clothing division. In August, Louis Vuitton male creative director Virgil Abloh announced he was working with skateboarder Lucien Clarke, who designed a skate shoe for the label.
The brand then revealed a collaboration with the NBA that “celebrates the cultural contribution of basketball and its various characters.” The resulting capsule collection included clothing, bags, shoes and accessories with the NBA logo.
