80s style: what was worn at the Summer Olympics in Moscow

Exactly 40 years ago, the Summer Games were held in Moscow. The 1980 Olympics were the first to be held in Eastern Europe and in a country that was socialist at the time. That is why the organizers of the competitions, athletes themselves and even designers of the outfit had a huge responsibility – everything had to take place at the highest level.

Olympic clothing can be divided into three categories: ceremonial uniforms for official events, suits for performance at competitions and everyday clothes. All items received special attention – and for good reason. After four decades, many things are still on the trend list. We tell you what was fashionable to wear during the Moscow Olympics – both among athletes and fans.

Couture parade suits

At the opening ceremony of the Games the representatives of the participating countries mostly appeared in classic suits. By that time, the world’s famous designers had already developed an interest in creating clothes for athletes. The USSR decided not to lag behind and entrusted the task to its own fashion designers.

The most famous Soviet designer at that time was considered Vyacheslav Zaitsev. However, it was not so easy to persuade him to work on Olympic uniforms. By 1980, the man left the All-Union House of Models, where in the last years of work felt superfluous, experienced the death of his mother and a deep creative crisis.

USSR delegation at the opening of the 22nd Summer Olympic Games in Moscow.

Zaitsev was persuaded to design costumes for the USSR delegation by diplomat Evgeny Tyazhelnikov and Minister of Consumer Services Ivan Dudenkov. The former literally forced the designer to return to the ranks, and the latter promised him a leading position in the future House of Household Services. This is how Soviet athletes got their first couture suits: light pink shirts, beige straight-cut jackets, women’s midi skirts of the same color, and men’s khaki pants. All this was adorned with a burgundy tie.

By the way, at the same time began the history of the creation of the “Fashion House of Vyacheslav Zaitsev”, which grew out of the established House of everyday life. Both sides have fulfilled their promises.

A new brand outfitter

They started to think about equipment for competitions a few years before the Games. The USSR practically did not produce sportswear and footwear of first-class quality, so in 1980 our athletes were first dressed in capitalist adidas. The now well-known three stripes and the originals shamrock appeared on the uniforms.

USSR national gymnastics team

For the Soviet government and Horst Dassler, the son of Adi Dassler, the creator of the West German firm, it was a mutually beneficial deal. The Olympians entered the arena in really high-quality and representative uniforms, and adidas thus conquered a new market. German sneakers made a real sensation in the USSR.

Initially, the contract implied the creation of 32 thousand sets: both for athletes and employees of the Olympic Village. But because of the events in Afghanistan and sanctions from the U.S. and allies Horst Dassler had to find a compromise with the government of the FRG. The tailoring of suits for the athletes was retained, but the clothes for the staff had to be replaced by items from Arena, a swimming brand that Horst also owned at the time.

Olympics, windbreakers, bags – everything that’s considered stylish in 2020

With such a serious approach to sportswear, it’s no wonder that the Moscow Olympics spawned trends that still exist today. For example, the traditional olympic shirt comes from the very same Games. Along with it in popularity is a tracksuit consisting of a jacket with a zipper and pants with lamppasses. Back then, its presence in the closet was considered a sign of wealth.

Olympic medalists in pentathlon: Olga Rukavishnikova, Nadezhda Tkachenko and Olga Kuragina

Another long-lasting fashion trend was “paper” windbreakers. Lightweight jackets with a crumpled surface can be seen nowadays on city runners or cyclists. The thing is not only comfortable, but also works perfectly for its intended purpose – it protects well from wind and precipitation.

Among lovers of vintage style the object of envy even now is a rectangular leather bag with rounded corners and Olympic symbols. Such a sports accessory can now be seen at auctions in the U.S., and for a considerable price – $ 100.

Trends that came from abroad

The Moscow Olympics had a tremendous impact on fashion from another point of view. At that time, crowds of guests from Europe came to the capital, and they brought new trends with them. Corduroy suits, especially strokes, jeans and denim jackets, ballet flats, Yves Saint Laurent’s safari style – all these innovations blew the minds of the capital’s fashion fans.

Tourists from Germany on Red Square

Naturally, stylish things were very expensive in Moscow. For example, you could pay 200 rubles for adidas sneakers, a substantial sum for those times. And ballet flats could only be bought with foreign currency. Therefore, young female students bought their grandmother’s flat-soled slippers and turned them into fashionable shoes like artists. According to the memories of the famous Belarusian designer Elvira Zhvikova, the homemade slippers were enough for a couple of discos. In one of the interviews, the fashion designer said that in the Soviet Union shtrocks cost fabulous money. That’s why young people bought ordinary corduroy and cut out a fine welt with scissors.

Although the bear, as the slogan of the special project of “Championship” says, has passed, the fashion for things from the Olympic Games in Moscow is still alive in the modern world. And it is probably not going to go away.