Naomi Osaka can’t be stopped.
The tennis recently announced the launch of her apparel line in partnership with Victoria’s Secret, the first time the company has joined forces with an individual collaborator in its 45-year history according to a report by AfroTech.
The world-class athlete teamed up with the brand to produce a sustainably made sleepwear and intimate wear line.
“So honored to present to you the Naomi x @victoriasecret collection,” Osaka shared in an Instagram post. “I was shocked to hear this, but apparently I’m the first person to ever collaborate with Victoria’s Secret on a collection, and I’m so humbled and appreciative.”
She added: “Every piece in the collection is made out of recyclable material, and the whole premise of the collection centers around chasing your dreams, so I hope you enjoy everything as much as I do.”
Boardroom.com reports that Osaka will to receive royalties for being involved in the collection’s items, which will be widely available online and in flagship stores.
“When Naomi first met VS, she told them that she loved going to the stores as a kid with her mom, but there was no one on the walls that looked like her,” Stuart Duguid, Evolve co-founder and Osaka’s agent, said in an interview with the outlet. “She found it very inaccessible. Now they’ve revamped that model, and the business is headed in a different direction with different leadership.”
This is only the latest feat in her long list of business wins. As previously reported by ESSENCE, the tennis star was recently named the highest-paid female athlete in the world according to Forbes, earning an impressive $51.1 million this year alone.
She previously topped the outlet’s highest-paid female athlete list in 2020 after having raked in a reported $34 million. Since then, she’s added partnerships Louis Vuitton, Tag Heuer and Workday to a list of sponsors that already includes Nike, Beats, Mastercard and among others.
The 25-year-old joins Serena Williams in the ranks of high-earning women athletes, who came in at second place with $41.3 million in earnings following her retirement earlier in 2021.
However, Osaka hopes to add an additional endeavor to her business plans — creating her own fashion brand.
“I’ve really been a sponge and have tried to absorb a wealth of knowledge,” Osaka said of her time working with Victoria’s Secret. “At some point, it’s no secret that I’d like to design for my own brand.”