Naomi Osaka Wasn't "Limited" By Wimbledon's Dress Code—It Inspired Her Tennis Kimono

The all-white dress code at Wimbledon has never stopped Naomi Osaka's personal style from shining on Centre Court. It just encourages Osaka to be a bit more creative with her tennis outfits. On June 29, the legend made her Wimbledon 2026 debut in custom tennis whites inspired by traditional Japanese ceremonial dress.

Before the first round Ladies Singles match, Osaka's grand entrance showcased just how proud she is of her half-Japanese heritage. Stylist Marty Harper teamed up with Tokyo-based designer Hana Yagi on a robe inspired by a kimono's high neck and elongated, square-shaped sleeves.

“The garment is constructed from vintage shiromuku [traditional Japanese bridal garments], kimono and wedding dresses—ceremonial garments originally created to mark important moments in people’s lives," Yagi told British Vogue before the match.

Cherry blossoms and lifelike cranes were carefully embroidered onto Osaka's top layer. Then, a thick, matching obi belt gave the otherwise free-flowing wrap an elegant hourglass shape. The 28-year-old didn't feel "limited at all" by the tournament's dress code. "Obviously, the outfit has to be white, but aside from that, you can play with a lot of different design elements," Osaka told British Vogue. "In some ways, not having to think about the color allows you to highlight other cool features like fabrics and textures.”

For Yagi, the color requirement allowed her to "focus on material, transparency, construction, and silhouette instead." As a result, she didn't think twice about slipping a grass-grazing skirt—fashioned from ivory-tinted tiers of tulle—beneath Osaka's kimono. “Sometimes the strongest creative ideas emerge from the clearest constraints," she added.

To finish, she accessorized with diamond earrings and bracelets from Mikimoto, as well as a traditional kanzashi hair ornament atop her slickback bun.

Stylist Marty Harper is no newbie when it comes to Osaka's on-court style serves. He's the creative behind her "jellyfish" outfit at the 2026 Australian Open and the Kevin Germanier gown at the 2026 French Open. So, he knew time was of the essence. "Unlike a runway show, these garments exist for only a few minutes," Harper told British Vogue. “Naomi has to transition from ceremony to competition in well under a minute, so every creative decision also has to solve a technical problem.”

Osaka's custom Nike kit was hidden under her custom Hana Yogi look all along. The tennis dress's sleeveless silhouette wasn't too far a detour from her previous Wimbledon looks. It did, however, welcome 3-D cream flowers atop her neckline and hip. Pleated ivory trim along the thigh-length hem acted as another homage to her walk-on outfit. Osaka's Mikimoto diamonds stayed put during the entire match, while her kanzashi traded places with a Nike-branded visor.

For Osaka, tennis tournaments aren't just about winning, though she did advance to the second Singles match on July 1. “Every walk-out is an opportunity to bring people into my creative world," she said. She did all of that and more on day one of Wimbledon.

Yes, Osaka will return to Centre Court in white on Wednesday, but beyond that, the details surrounding her next tennis outfit remain on a need-to-know basis. However, you can trust Osaka to keep raising the style stakes all tournament long.