The Met Gala has returned after a one-year hiatus, and Naomi Osaka has been named a co-chair.
Other hosts include Timothée Chalamet, Billie Eilish and Amanda Gorman.
Happy #FirstMondayinMay! This year's #MetGala will have superstar co-chairs Timothée (@RealChalamet), @BillieEilish, @NaomiOsaka, and @theAmandaGorman, while @TomFord, Adam @Mosseri, and Anna Wintour comprise the evening’s honorary chairs https://t.co/nNPvOzzBLd
— Vogue Magazine (@voguemagazine) May 3, 2021
In the announcement, Vogue called Osaka “one of the best-dressed athletes around,” citing the colorful pieces she wears on and off the court.
The theme of the Met Gala will be the “Ultimate Tribute to American Style,” with Vogue stating that each of the four cohosts “embodies the defining factor of American style: individualism.”
“They may approach the concept differently,” the article states. “But their shared passion for expressing themselves through clothing connects with the exhibition’s theme.”
Naturally, Osaka responded as anyone would.
If I see Rihanna ima pass out.
— NaomiOsaka大坂なおみ (@naomiosaka) May 3, 2021
It’s been a big 24 hours for Osaka, as news comes on the heels of the announcement that her Play Academy, first launched in Japan last summer, will be expanding to two new locations: Los Angeles, California and Haiti. Created in a partnership with Nike and Laureus Sport for Good, the Academy provides grants and capacity-building training for local community organizations in an effort to boost girls’ access to and participation in sport.