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Paris 2024: when fashion designers take over the Olympic Games
On Friday 26th of July, athletes from all over the world gathered in the French capital to celebrate the opening of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. This historic event, which brings together the arts of sport, culture, music and fashion, is an opportunity for designers to double down on their creative minds to design the most beautiful and comfortable outfits. Numéro offers an overview of the different designs.
French athletes’ competition wear by Stéphane Ashpool for Le Coq Sportif
It was one of the first official fashion announcements of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games: designer Stéphane Ashpool would be designing the competition outfits for the French athletes. In collaboration with Le Coq Sportif, Ashpool revealed the tricolor outfits he had come up with last March, at the same time as the opening of his exhibition at 19M. “I remember that one of the first things the athletes said to me was ‘we want to look good, we want to feel good!’”, the fashion designer declared in an interview for Numéro.
From fencing masks and Phrygian cap-style triangular helmets for cyclists to palazzo trousers for archers, the collection unveils the shades of blue, white, and red on the official outfits that will be sported by our athletes in the stadiums this summer. At the crossroads of the designer’s main interests – sportswear and streetwear – the collection brilliantly celebrates the colors of France.
Suits for the opening ceremony by Berluti
Ceremony often means dinner jacket, and dinner jackets often mean Berluti, the leading fashion house in the art of tailoring, which is why the brand is designing the suits of the French athletes for the opening ceremony of the 2024 Olympic Games. Cut from midnight-blue wool, the suits feature the French flag on the shawl collars of the jackets, in a gradient patina that echoes the competition outfits designed by Stéphane Ashpool.
Worn with a white, cotton and silk shirt with long sleeves for men and sleeveless for women, the outfits take the shape of braided trousers or wrap skirts, showcasing both the house’s expertise and French craftsmanship – the epitome of French elegance.
Kimonos of the French judo team by Kenzo
Two stories come together here – that of an ancestral sport founded in Japan, and that of a fashion house with Japanese roots. Judo and Kenzo are crystallized in one garment, the kimono, which the house’s artistic director Nigo revamps, drawing his inspiration from the evolution of its cut and of the fabrics used. The result is an elegant and modern navy blue ensemble, which will be worn by the French Judo team off the tatami mat.
Unveiled at Kenzo’s Fall/Winter 2023 show, this reinterpretation of the kimono encapsulates the Japanese designer’s Western and Eastern inspirations – worn here with a white shirt – as well as the traditions of the martial art. The piece ensures the judoka’s freedom of movement and grip with its large volume and thick fabric.
The American team dressed by Ralph Lauren for the opening ceremony
A slim-fit wool blazer with red and white stripes, an immaculate oxford shirt, a pair of raw denim and a pair of denim richelieu shoes – the official suit of the US team for the opening ceremony sums up American sophistication in a simple and effective way. Designed by Ralph Lauren, a giant of the American fashion world, these outfits are a reminder of the house’ strong affiliation with sport, dating back to the launch of its first polo shirt in 1967.
The decision to choose this fashion designer to create the outfits that will represent his country at the 2024 Olympic Games seems natural. It represents a celebration of both fashion and the house’s prolific exchanges with the world of sport and its top athletes. Featuring a slightly patriotic color palette and American clichés, these suits take us back to the myth of the American dream.
Giorgio Armani’s EA7 outfits for Italian athletes
For the finale of its Emporio Armani fashion show last June, the Milan-based fashion house featured six Italian Olympic athletes and six Paralympic athletes on its catwalk. Each holding an Italian flag, they proudly unveiled the outfits that they would be wearing at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games designed by Giorgio Armani. That collection has been a crowning achievement for the famous fashion designer, who has already designed the outfits of his country’s team for the Turin Winter Olympics in 2006, and who has nurtured a passion for the world of sport since childhood.
From his fascination with the heroic athletes of the 20th century to his EA7 line launched with his brand Emporio Armani in 2004, the fashion designer cultivates the art and values of sport through elegant, yet technical clothing. For instance, these navy blue jogging suits, with his logo and the capital letters ‘ITALIA’, whose hooded sweatshirt hides the colors of the Italian flag… Elegant indeed!
Puma dresses Jamaica for the 2024 Olympic Games
On the track of Jamaica’s national stadium, the Olympic athletes unveiled their future outfits for the 2024 Olympic Games, designed by equipment manufacturer Puma. A showcase of the athletes’ impressive talent, which includes Shericka Jackson, the fastest woman in the world and 110-meter hurdles champion, and a memorable fashion moment vibing to the rhythm of Jamaican colors.
Featuring green and yellow graphic ripples reminiscent of speed, the jerseys of the national team are above all a nugget of sports technology, tailor-made to the abilities of the different athletes. In addition to their mesmerizing visual effect, the jerseys are made from an ergonomically shaped jacquard fabric that hugs the back muscles to reduce heat and maximize breathability, and feature the Thermoadapt technology developed by Puma to regulate the temperature of the body.
Indonesian Uniforms by Didit Hediprasetyo
Combining modern craftsmanship with the elegant simplicity of traditional Indonesian design philosophy, Didit Hediprasetyo unveiled last week the official uniforms for the opening ceremony of Indonesian athletes at the upcoming Olympic Games in Paris.
Between traditional fashion and a holistic approach, the uniforms alternate between jackets with mandarin collars and velvet bodysuits and merge athletic performance and cultural pride. Each garment is transformed into a tribute to Indonesia’s vibrant heritage, resonating with the roots of the athletes who will celebrate their countries at the Opening Ceremony on Friday.
Nike outfits for Team USA
While Ralph Lauren designed the costumes for the American team for the opening ceremony, the historic equipment manufacturer Nike is in charge of the athletes’ outfits for sports competitions. A must-have around the world for its technical and ultra-fashion outfits, the American brand imagines a total look for Team USA , from the bag to the jacket, including the sneakers, the top and bottom but also the caps… and flip-flops.
Unisex, the navy blue clothes with the United States flag combine comfort and sportswear style, and will be worn by athletes between each event, from their daily commute to the awarding of Olympic medals.
The elegant Michel Amazonka suits for Mongolia
It was probably the Olympic outfits that caused the most reaction on social networks. Designed by the two sisters at the head of the Michel Amazonka brand, Mongolia’s costumes for the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games are real little fashion jewels.
From their delicate gold, red and blue embroidery to the multiple button details on the sleeves and the drapes: each uniform required no less than 20 hours of work. And the result is enough to leave us speechless. Inspired by the Naadam festival, the Mongolian designers reproduced the traditional clothes worn during this event, adding a good dose of subtlety and elegance to honor the customs and savoir-faire of their country, which stands out in this fashion race.
The suits designed by Kevin Germanier for the closing ceremony of the Olympic Games
It’s the final fashion surprise revealed by the Paris Olympic Games – young designer Kevin Germanier will create the suits for the closing ceremony of the sporting event. This choice is a seal of approval for the young and (very) talented French fashion designer, whose whimsical creations mixing colorful and eclectic fabrics have seduced the fashion world through breathtaking shows.
While we don’t know what are the main inspirations for his designs, or what shape they will take, we are already excited by this announcement. He will undoubtedly live up to the dreams of grandeur conveyed by the 2024 Olympic Games. To be continued…
Translation by Emma Naroumbo Armaing
