Welcome to the squad. Naomi Osaka’s viral Labubu crew is finally complete with the addition of “Naomi Glowsaka.”
The four-time Grand Slam champion leaned hard into the mania surrounding the collectible monster dolls at the US Open by unveiling custom, bedazzled figurines after each match she won. Designed by New York City-based artist Kerin Rose Gold of A-Morir Studio, the dolls were first meant as an accessory to coordinate with Osaka’s on-court outfits, but soon took on a life of their own.
With punny names inspired by tennis legends — Billie Jean Bling, Arthur Flashe, LaBillieBu (also modeled after Billie Jean King), Althea Glitterson, and Andre Swaggassi — Osaka’s Labubus were a viral sensation, and generated almost as much buzz as the former World No. 1’s resurgent play on the court in New York. And after Osaka fell just short of a third US Open final — losing in three sets to Amanda Anisimova — she told reporters there was one still in the bag, confessing that she’d hoped to save the biggest reveal for last.
“It would’ve been me,” she revealed, later hinting that she planned to name the doll “Naomi Glowsaka.”
“I wanted to make one of myself in last year’s outfit, and it was the green one. I would have had the bow, and I’m sick about it,” she revealed. “Oh, my God, that’s, like, the worst thing. Honestly, I’m fine losing, but don’t ask me about this Labubu, man.”
On Sunday, fans were no longer left wondering what might’ve been when Osaka revealed the tiny monster in a reel posted to Instagram.
As promised, the figurine was wearing a version of the custom lime-green outfit she wore at the 2024 US Open jointly designed by Nike and Ambush’s Yoon Ahn. The “Lolita goth” look was complete with a (proportionally) giant green bow, identical to the one that adorned Osaka’s warm-up jacket for that famous kit.
“Allow me to introduce the very last Labubu,” Osaka wrote in the video’s caption.
With her new team member in tow, Osaka kicked off her week at the Dongfeng · Voyah Wuhan Open with a three-set win over 2021 US Open finalist Leylah Fernandez on Tuesday — her first career victory in Wuhan.
AloJapan.com