Paris Olympics 2024: The Most Stylish Olympics Ceremony So Far...
The Olympics Opening Ceremony is the biggest catwalk in the world and this year's ceremony was the most stylish yet. Here are some standout outfits:
Happy new week!
The Olympics kicked off last Friday with an epic opening ceremony. For the first time ever, the ceremony was held outside of a stadium and on a narrow body of water. Fans could watch and wave at their favourite teams from the riverbank as they were paraded in boats one-by-one. Designers from all over the world crafted unique outfits for each team, showcasing the growing intersection of sports and fashion.
The Olympics Opening Ceremony is the biggest catwalk in the world, and everyone is watching. Here are some standout outfits:
Since 2008, Team USA has been dressed by Ralph Lauren. This year, the brand honored American patriotism with the team's opening ceremony outfits. Athletes wore striped button-downs, light-wash denim, and polo-style suit jackets featuring the Ralph Lauren logo and the Olympic symbol. The outfits were adorned in red, white, and navy-blue hues, resembling an American flag with an ivy league twist. Ronnie Fieg, creator of KITH, also created a capsule collection in honour of Olympic memorabilia in collaboration with Team USA, which I feel would have stood out way more than Team USA’s Ralph Lauren collection, maybe it’s time Ralph Lauren passed on the baton to upcoming brands.
Mongolia had one of the best uniforms this year, designed by Michel & Amazonka with only three months' notice. They previously designed uniforms for the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics and the 2022 Winter Olympics but were called in at the last minute this year. Their designs were inspired by Mongolian tradition, landscape, and history.
Haiti’s uniforms, created by Stella Jean, combined trendy styles with vibrant fine-art prints. The mid-calf pleated skirts and long pants featured prints from Haitian painter Philippe Dodard’s piece, “Passage.” The outfits included tailored blue button-downs, white short-sleeve vests with blue-lined lapels, satin belts, and lace-up white heeled boots. The chambray shirts were made from Haiti’s "blue cotton."
Liberia’s outfits were designed by Telfar Clemens, founder of the popular brand Telfar. The collection comprised around 70 genderless pieces. Emmanuel Matadi, a Liberian sprinter, initially reached out to Telfar, and Clemens said, “They said ‘go crazy’ and I did!” Liberia had been without an official sponsor since 2000, making this collaboration even more significant.
Great Britain embraced their heritage with outfits by Ben Sherman. The team sported white and blue bomber jackets with floral embroidery on the back, symbolising unity with a rose for Britain, a thistle for Scotland, a daffodil for Wales, and a shamrock for Northern Ireland. While it was great to see British-Sierra Leonean designer Foday Dumbuya designing for Sierra Leone, Team GB could have used this moment to present more opportunities for upcoming British designers to showcase their innovative designs.
This year’s Olympics Ceremony was the most stylish yet, highlighting the growing blend of fashion and sport. Designers dream of creating Olympic collections, as it's the biggest runway they could ever have. It’s encouraging to see countries giving new and upcoming designers a chance, fostering creativity and fresh perspectives in fashion.