Naomi Osaka set to headline Met Gala 2021 along with Billie Eilish & Timothee Chalamet, says she will "pass out if she sees Rihanna"

Four-time Major winner Naomi Osaka is all set to walk down the red carpet at New York's star-studded Met Gala 2021. The Met Gala is an annual fundraising event organized for the benefit of the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute.

Naomi Osaka will be joining pop singer Billie Eilish, actor Timothee Chalamet and American poet Amanda Gorman as the youngest co-chairs at the event, which is scheduled to take place this year on 13 September. The likes of fashion icon Anna Wintour and designer Tom Ford will also be presiding over the 2021 edition of the gala.

Naomi Osaka is expected to turn up the style at the fundraising event, with all guests expected to make fashion choices that match the theme of the exhibit. Having said that, the Japanese is a little inexperienced in this matter when compared with the likes of Chalamet and Eilish, both of whom have a reputation for wearing memorable outfits.

Billie Eilish attends the 2020 BRIT Awards

It is pertinent to note, however, that Naomi Osaka has also been making a name for herself in the fashion world. Vogue featured Osaka on their cover story earlier this year, where the World No. 2 posed gracefully in a black and white slip dress. Osaka has also been at the forefront of a swimsuit line.

Perhaps the shy Japanese could end up turning heads at the Met Gala 2021 with her outfit, given that she has learned to be comfortable in her own skin over the last few years.

In addition to her fashion dealings, Naomi Osaka has also been a path-breaker for women from multicultural backgrounds. The 23-year-old has used her success and influence for the greater good, with her social justice drive in USA standing out in particular.

Last year, Osaka made a big splash at the US Open by raising awareness about police brutality against African-Americans in the country. The Japanese's fight against racial discrimination earned her plaudits from all over the world.

"If I see Rihanna Ima pass out" - Naomi Osaka on the prospect of meeting Rihanna at the Met Gala

Rihanna

Naomi Osaka seemed elated about the Met Gala announcement on Monday, taking to Twitter to share her excitement with her followers. Osaka claimed that she might just faint if she ran into Rihanna, who happens to be one of the figures that the Japanese has idolized for several years.

"If I see Rihanna ima pass out," Naomi Osaka wrote after being announced as a co-chair at the Met Gala 2021.

If I see Rihanna ima pass out.

— NaomiOsaka大坂なおみ (@naomiosaka) May 3, 2021

Incidentally, Osaka had spoken in detail about the Met Gala and the R&B star during an interview with WTA in 2019. When asked whether the Met Gala seemed like an event she might enjoy attending, Osaka insisted that it "would be fun to go to, but then she would have to talk to people."

The Japanese also added that she watched the gala only for Rihanna, who she found to be 'really beautiful'.