In tandem with her recent honor as one of COMME des GARCONs and SWITCH Publishing’s “People of The Year,” Naomi Osaka now debuts a new iteration of the Nike Blazer Mid ’77 Vintage.
Marking a special collab with the Japanese streetwear brand, the shoe is a nod to Osaka’s roots in Japan. Along the design “Commes des Garçons” and the tennis star’s namesake are monogrammed repeatedly aross the vintage silhouette. Additional details include the phrase “Home Is Where The Heart Is” and Naomi Osaka’s signature scrawled along the upper of the shoe.
The new pair made its debut on Saturday (Dec. 5) at all COMME des GARCONS storefronts. Elsewhere, it is available Dover Street Market via the brand’s store and e-commerce platform with a modest $120 price tag.
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Osaka’s design is one among an entire collection designed by Rei Kawakubo and inspired by other “People of the Year ” nominees. These include Nobuyoshi Araki, Kotobuki Shiriagari, Stormzy, Kazuyo Sejima, Shuntaro Tanikawa, Patti Smith and Ichiro Yamaguchi.
It follows up on a strong year in which Osaka’s star power on the tennis court has found an equal match in her activism. In particular, she used the spotlight of the U.S. Open as an opportunity to honor victims of police brutality, wearing masks with the names of Breonna Taylor, Elijah McClain, Ahmaud Arbery, Trayvon Martin, George Floyd, Philando Castle, and Tamir Rice.