Osaka dazzles in custom couture at CFDA Awards
Naomi Osaka has never been one to play it safe when it comes to fashion. And at the 2026 CFDA Fashion Awards in New York this week, the four-time Grand Slam champion delivered another reminder that personal expression through clothes is a big part of her off-court game.
Held on Monday at the American Museum of Natural History, the annual celebration of American fashion brought together some of the biggest names in entertainment and design. Hosted by Keke Palmer, the evening saw Osaka not just as a guest, but as a presenter. She joined designer Joseph Altuzarra to announce the winner of American Accessory Designer of the Year.
Her own red-carpet moment, meanwhile, was unmistakably on-brand.
Osaka donned a striking custom white gown by New York-based designer Miss Claire Sullivan, featuring oversized black polka dots, an asymmetric neckline, a dramatic puffed sleeve and a statement black sash at the waist. She completed the look with diamond jewelry by Rahaminov.
It was a look that felt perfectly at home in Osaka’s increasingly distinctive fashion universe: The fresh take on evening wear combined a little whimsy with plenty of personality -- a message the former World No. 1 says that she tries to convey whenever she shows off her style.
"I think people think that I'm really timid ... which I am, I'm really shy, but I'm pretty outspoken," she said. “I definitely use fashion as a way to express myself. I don't like talking a lot. Sometimes, I feel like if you dress a certain way, you don't have to open your mouth that much. You just show up, and your outfit makes a statement for you."
