What did the designers dress the national teams in for the Beijing Olympics?

Today, the Olympic Games are not only the biggest sporting event, but also the main fashion sporting platform. National teams have long been cooperating with famous fashion houses, promoting emerging local designers and competing in the originality of outfits.

For the third Olympics in a row, the Russian national team is being outfitted by the Zasport brand. As before, the brand does not use national symbols, but, fortunately, the Beijing Olympics will be the last time the Russian national team will be without a flag.

The traditional white, blue and red colors are still present in the collection, but the main color for the outfit is “qing”. In China it is considered a symbol of vital energy. On the fabric of the dress uniform there is a map with several geographical objects of Russia, such as Baikal, Sochi, Sakhalin, Kamchatka, Franz Josef Land, Wrangel Island, Novaya Zemlya and others. And protective masks were sewn into the hoods of tracksuits.

In what outfit representatives of other countries went in this article.

Italy and Emporio Armani

The design of the Olympic uniform for Italian athletes was developed by the fashion house Giorgio Armani.

On the minimalistic navy blue pants and bright blue jackets you can see only the Italian flag and Olympic rings. With such strict and almost monochromatic sets, the designers wanted to show the athletes’ confidence and the mood to win.

Germany and adidas

For the German national team adidas brand developed the Olympic outfit. The uniform is presented in the colors of the national flag, but the yellow designers replaced it with mustard and lemon, which added freshness and uniqueness to the images.

The advertising campaign described the collection as “an expression of rebellious optimism”. The creators decided to play with geometry, that’s why on insulated sports pants one pant leg differs in color from the second one, and fleece olimpics and jackets are decorated with squares of different shades. The brand has added reflective details on all the garments.

France and Le Coq Sportif

The national French brand Le Coq Sportif used the idea of creating a collection based on the national flag.

The Olympic uniforms turned out to be quite homogeneous – all items of clothing from pants and jackets to sweatshirts and T-shirts are made in the colors of the flag. The brand also displayed the new emblem of the Olympic team – the Gallic rooster, which forms the letter V, the symbol of victory of the French team.

Norway and local brands

The National Olympic Committee collaborated with local sportswear and footwear manufacturers to create a collection of equipment for the Norwegian national team.

For example, the brand On Running created boots on a voluminous sole with yellow inserts, the brand Dale of Norway provided warm knitted sweaters, Phenix – ski suits, and Pierre Robert provided athletes with underwear and thermal underwear. The uniforms are made in blue, navy, white and red colors, typical for the flag of Norway. In particular, blue transformer jackets that transform into vests and white parkas were added to the collection.

Canada and Lululemon

The uniforms for Canadian athletes were designed by the local company Lululemon, which also became the official outfitter of the national team. The collection is dominated by shades of red and beige, and the designers were inspired by the maple leaf, the symbol of Canada. In addition, the brand took care not only about the appearance of the outfit, but also about its functionality.

Thus, down jackets for the opening ceremony are made of water-repellent and windproof fabric. The transformer jacket has straps sewn into it, thanks to which it easily turns into a backpack. Knitted award sweaters are made with merino wool. And the beige-colored sets are created especially for the closing ceremony, emphasizing the festive nature of the event.

USA and Ralph Lauren

The Americans ordered the uniforms for the Olympians from the fashion house of Ralph Lauren, which has been the official designer of the national team since 2008.

To create the anorak, pants and gloves, the brand decided to use a red, white, white and blue color palette that references the U.S. flag. The uniforms feature a personalized thermal regulation system. The elements of the garment expand in the cold and contract when the temperature rises.

The uniform is also eco-friendly: the designers made it from polyester fiber obtained from recycled plastic bottles.

Great Britain and Ben Sherman

For the British national team the uniform was designed by local brand Ben Sherman.

The main color of the Olympic uniform is traditionally navy blue, which is complemented by red and white elements. Sweaters with the British flag print, high collar and muted colors were chosen for the parade closet.

For the closing ceremony, a sweater with a round neck in red and black plaid was created.