“I like when fashion creates that little moment of intrigue,” says Osaka of her court style.
Photo: Sebastian Arriagada / CCG Social“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.”