Naomi Osaka's Met Gala ensemble took 150 hours to complete

Naomi Osaka’s Met Gala outfit took 150 hours to complete.

The 23-year-old tennis ace’s head-turning ensemble, which was custom made by Louis Vuitton’s Nicolas Ghesquiere with the help of her sister, Mari, included 22 ruffles made from 18 metres of leather satin and paid homage to her Japanese and Haitian roots.

On the lengthy process, she said: “My sister and I work on a lot of fashion and design projects together, but this one was really special. We did a few sketches, and then had a long meeting with Nicolas [Ghesquiere, Vuitton’s creative director] where we shared ideas between the three of us. He’s been so great to work with and I’m really grateful he was able to guide us and help bring the vision to life.”

The theme at Monday night’s (13.09.21) Met Gala was ‘In America: A Lexicon of Fashion’, and the sisters wanted to reflect “the diversity of America” with the unique outfit.

Osaka explained to WWD: “This look was an ode to my Japanese and Haitian heritage. My sister actually designed the print herself, which incorporated a really cool koi fish design. We really wanted to celebrate where we come from and the way our multicultural background reflects the diversity of America.”

On what inspires her fashion choices, the court champion added: “I’m always drawn to pieces that are totally unique, and also looks that tell a story. I think that’s actually why I love my Met look so much — because it does both of those things. The dress, the hair and the make-up were all unique, and the full look helps to tell the story of both my own background and also the cultural beauty of America.”