Osaka returns at Indian Wells with custom fashion armor and high stakes

Fans in the California desert get Naomi Osaka back on court with more than a match riding on it: her first tournament since an abdominal injury forced an Australian Open withdrawal, plus a carefully built visual “armor” meant to sharpen her mindset. Thursday at 9: 14 a. m. ET, Osaka marked her return at Indian Wells, the BNP Paribas Open, seeded 16th and set to face Victoria Jimenez Kasintseva.

Naomi Osaka brings “armor” styling to Indian Wells and Miami Open

Osaka’s return is designed to be felt as much as seen. For Indian Wells and the ensuing Miami Open, she is wearing her customary Nike performance attire alongside new custom pieces created with Filipino-American designer Chris Habana, known for striking jewelry worn by artists including Beyoncé and Lady Gaga.

Osaka framed the look as an extension of story-building around what she wears to compete. After seeing her Nike kit, she and her team began asking what else could be built around it, with her interest in magazines and fashion editorials steering the choices toward jewelry and accessories.

Habana’s additions are described as edgier and more avant-garde pieces intended to translate onto a tennis setting without getting in the way. The set includes bold ear cuffs, mesh gloves, fang-like grills, and a chainmail skirt, paired with an animal-printed top with a mesh back and shorts designed for movement.

Indian Wells return follows Osaka’s January Australian Open withdrawal

The immediate sporting impact for Osaka is straightforward: this is her first tournament since she withdrew from the Australian Open in January because of what was described as a persistent abdominal injury. Indian Wells is the setting for that comeback, and she described feeling inspired in the days leading up to the match.

Osaka also emphasized the environment around the BNP Paribas Open, pointing to the desert, the light, and the crowd as part of what makes the tournament feel distinct to her—energy she said she is excited to step back into as she competes again.

Her opening assignment at Indian Wells is against Andorra’s Victoria Jimenez Kasintseva, who is listed as 97th-ranked, while Osaka is seeded 16th.

Chris Habana designs functional pieces meant to shift Osaka’s headspace

The collaboration’s practical demands shaped the design, starting with an ear cuff meant to hold Osaka’s earbuds during warmups while still looking intentional. Osaka described that functional ear cuff as an “anchor” piece that helped define the collection.

Habana described outfitting an athlete as a new challenge compared with his typical work for music and runway settings, yet he drew a parallel between an athlete’s entrance and a runway walk: the look must deliver instant impact and tell a story. For tennis, he also focused on pieces that could come on and off seamlessly so the transition into match play would not feel cumbersome.

Osaka and Habana built the accessories as modular layers that can shift from day to day. Osaka said combinations will vary depending on how she feels, and she singled out finger gloves with claw details as a favorite, describing the pieces as playful but still powerful. Habana added that he has long treated jewelry as a form of protection, aligning with the “armor-like” quality he aimed to bring to Osaka’s custom gear.

If Osaka’s Indian Wells run continues, the next on-court setting referenced for the evolving accessory combinations is the ensuing Miami Open.