Vintage Celebrates Her Cultural Footprint

Following her selection as one of Comme des Garçons and SWITCH Publishing’s “People of the Year.”

Three-time Grand Slam champion and vocal social justice advocate Naomi Osaka was recently honored as one of COMME des GARÇONS and SWITCH Publishing’s “People of the Year,” so for an extension of that accolade CdG and Nike have presented a special Osaka-themed take on the popular Blazer Mid ‘77 Vintage. First teased in July and swathed from forefoot to heel in special branding, the heartfelt sneaker aims to encapsulate Osaka’s on and off court style plus her Japanese heritage.

Where most of Nike Sportswear‘s Blazers are made of crisp leather, Osaka’s iteration is built from a white textile. This simple base is quickly embellished with light gray text hits that read “COMME des GARÇONS,” “Naomi Osaka” and “Home Is Where the Heart Is.” Osaka’s signature is scrawled on each lateral quarter panel in black above handwritten “Home Is Where the Heart Is” hits, all of which overlap a white leather Swoosh. The remainder of the look is completed by familiar Blazer details like exposed foam tongues, leather heel pieces with Nike text graphics, shaggy suede mudguards and toe caps and rubber midsoles/outsoles.

According to Nike, the Naomi Osaka x COMME des GARÇONS x Nike Blazer Mid ‘77 Vintage is set to release alongside a special T-shirt December 5th via CdG and Dover Street Market’s digital and physical outposts, but it currently shows as being sold out on the Dover Street Market webstore.