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It’s no surprise that when Etsy asked Naomi Osaka to help judge its sixth annual Design Awards, the star tennis player would give it all she’s got. “I took the job very seriously because I know how much effort all of the businesses put into their work,” says Osaka, who sat down alongside her fellow judges—the company’s honorary “chief gifting officer,” Drew Barrymore, and trends expert Dayna Isom Johnson—to hand-select the winners from a batch of 100 finalists. “I tried to stay true to myself and pick the things that I knew I would love,” she adds.
Together, they chose one product for every major category, awarding a denim trenchcoat for clothing, a ceramic mouse mask for kids, and hand-painted ornaments for pets. But, of course, there could only be one grand-prize winner, and this year’s pick is a win for dining rooms everywhere. Ahead, Osaka reveals her top Etsy product of the year, plus the best thing she’s ever bought on the online marketplace to date.
Her Vote for the Grand-Prize Winner
“I really love things that are unique or that you can customize and put your own twist to,” Osaka says of what led her to select Turkey-based seller Goril Market’s superdetailed, hand-embroidered linen tablecloth for the grand-prize slot. The textile is the product of a former fashion designer who eventually transitioned to freelance graphic design before pursuing her passion for handcrafted goods. Each one is customizable, so if there are special memories you want to nod to in your tablecloth, she can add it in.
The Best Thing She’s Ever Bought on Etsy
“The best thing I’ve ever bought on Etsy was a handmade letter blanket. You can type out a message and then it arrives with your words,” says Osaka, noting that she gave the heartfelt throw (the vendor will personalize it to your handwriting!) as a gift to someone for Christmas one year.
More 2024 Etsy Design Award Winners
