In 1992, Issey Miyake designed uniforms for Team Lithuania to wear during the opening ceremony of the Olympics in Barcelona — Lithuania was competing for the first time as an independent nation following the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Miyake reportedly donated all of his designs free of charge and the outfits were highly praised for combining innovative materials and cultural elements while illustrating how sportswear could be a form of artistic expression.
The moment marked a switch in Olympic fashion history. Since then, major fashion houses and sportswear brands have been more invested in designing Olympic uniforms, and this trend has become a significant aspect of the Olympic Games.
Designing Olympic uniforms gives brands remarkable visibility on an international platform, increasing consumer awareness and often boosting sales for the brands involved. In the meantime, athletes receive high-performance outfits that push brands to develop new technologies and materials every year. The pieces also often incorporate national symbols and traditions into their designs, promoting cultural heritage.
In 2024, the relationship between fashion and the Olympics continues to grow, with luxury conglomerates like LVMH Möet Hennessy Louis Vuitton taking on major sponsorship roles. Several major LVMH houses, including Louis Vuitton, Dior and Berluti are involved with the Paris Games.
Here, WWD takes a closer look at some of the fashion brands that are embracing the Olympic spirit for Paris 2024.
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Team USA, Ralph Lauren
Image Credit: Courtesy of Ralph Lauren For the ninth time, Ralph Lauren created uniforms for both the Olympic and Paralympic athletes. These uniforms will be worn by the flag bearers and be seen in the opening and closing ceremony parades of the 2024 Paris Olympics.
For the opening ceremony, the athletes will wear a classic Ralph Lauren navy wool blazer with red and white accents, a striped oxford shirt, a navy knit tie, tapered light denim jeans and suede shoes.
For the closing ceremony, athletes will wear a sporty moto-style jacket with USA patch detailing, a classic striped polo shirt and white denim jeans.
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The American brand has also created a line of Villagewear that is less formal than the parade uniforms. The uniforms and Villagewear are available for sale at Ralph Lauren stores and on the Ralph Lauren website, as well as at the Team USA Shop. Proceeds from the sale of the products will benefit the team.
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Team USA, Speedo
Image Credit: Jack Spitser Team USA’s swimming athletes will be outfitted by Speedo. Regan Smith, Caeleb Dressel, Ryan Murphy, Kieran Smith and Abbey Weitzeil will compete in the Paris 2024 Olympics wearing the new U.S. Speedo Federation Suit, which features the advanced Fastskin 2.0 technology, designed for peak performance.
This swimsuit incorporates innovative Lamoral Space Tech for comfort and speed, and a patriotic design resembling the American flag.
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Team USA, Nike
Image Credit: WWD Nike is also an official outfitter of Team USA and will provide apparel and footwear for the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Teams.
The company manufactured sportswear and footwear for various Team USA disciplines, including gymnastics, which has seen a significant expansion in its partnership with Nike through 2028.
Beyond the uniforms, Nike also sponsors provisions for athlete wellness, which can cover mental health support and other resources. This initiative aims to create a supportive environment for athletes, ensuring their well-being in and out of competition.
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Team France, Berluti
Image Credit: Kacper Kasprzyk/Courtesy of Berluti Berluti has designed the uniforms for Team France for the upcoming 2024 Paris Olympics. This collaboration includes tuxedo-inspired outfits with different options for male and female athletes.
Male athletes will wear a midnight-blue tuxedo jacket featuring a patina-effect shawl collar in the colors of the French flag. The tuxedo is complemented by matching trousers and Berluti’s signature Shadow trainers. Female athletes will have the choice of a sleeveless tuxedo jacket, paired with either trousers or a silk wrap-around skirt.
The tuxedo is crafted from a blend of cold wool and Lycra, ensuring it remains wrinkle-free and comfortable throughout the ceremony.
“It is a unique opportunity for our group and one of our French maisons, Berluti, to dress the French athletes from head to toe for the opening ceremonies. This is one of the most watched events in the world, often with several billion spectators around the globe,” said Antoine Arnault, chairman of Berluti and head of communication, image and environment at LVMH, as previously reported by WWD.
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Team France, Stéphane Ashpool
Image Credit: Pauline Scotto di Cesare / Courtesy Stephane Ashpool Stéphane Ashpool, artistic director and founder of Pigalle, designed uniforms and village outfits for Team France for the upcoming 2024 Paris Olympics.
“When I met up with the athletes, they all told me, ‘We want to look cool, elegant, modern,’” Ashpool previously told WWD.
The uniforms, crafted with technical fabrics, feature a white base with gradient colors representing the diversity of France that is not always depicted in movies or international TV series.
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Team France, Kenzo
Image Credit: Courtesy of Kenzo Nigo, artistic director of Kenzo, is reprising the kimono-inspired suit from the fall 2023 runway for the French judo team. The athletes are to wear the navy ensembles on various official occasions this summer.
Dating back to eighth-century Japan, the kimono reached its peak during the Edo era, and is still worn for significant events. Its use in judo has changed in terms of “length and overall volume for greater freedom of movement and the use of thicker fabric to allow better grip and anchorage,” according to Kenzo.
For the French athletes, its is reimagined as a “sartorial, ceremonial garment in its construction” and a “further expression of the ‘East-meets-West’ creative stance the designer consistently elucidates with Kenzo.”
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Team Mongolia, Michel & Amazonka
Image Credit: Courtesy According to social media, Team Mongolia is already winning gold in uniforms for the opening ceremony of the 2024 Paris Olympics. Designed by Michel & Amazonka, the uniforms consist of embroidered vests and caftans resembling Mongolian traditional dress.
Michel & Amazonka created four looks: two for men and two for women. Flag bearers have their own special garb, with men wearing traditional pointed hats (buryat) and boots (gutals).
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Team Canada, Lululemon
Image Credit: Courtesy Photo Lululemon is the official outfitter of Team Canada for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
“Paris 2024 marks the next chapter in our partnership with Team Canada, and we’re excited to have deepened our collaboration with top athletes to design an athlete kit with their needs at the forefront,” said Lululemon chief executive officer Calvin McDonald, as WWD previously reported.
This marks their second time outfitting Canada’s Olympic and Paralympic teams, but their first for a Summer Games.
The uniforms feature ultralightweight and stretch fabrics, customizable drawcord, newly engineered pocket shapes and placements, SenseKnit technology for thermal comfort and sweat-wicking fabrics for enhanced breathability.
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For the opening ceremony, athletes will wear a jacquard bomber jacket with a unique print celebrating Canadian art, architecture and nature. For the closing ceremony, they will wear a collaboration with Indigenous artist Mason Mashon of the Saddle Lake Cree Nation, featuring a print inspired by natural illumination, including the Aurora Borealis.
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Team Ireland, Laura Weber
Image Credit: Photo Courtesy Laura Weber Laura Weber created Team Ireland’s uniforms for the opening and closing ceremonies at the 2024 Paris Olympics. She also designed suits for Ireland’s hospitality staff and executive board.
“I’ve been working on this project for three-and-a-half years. It’s been so under wraps for so long. Now that I’m able to chat about it a little bit more, it’s like, oh my God this is happening,” Weber previously told WWD.
The uniforms are white, honoring the ancient Greek tradition of wearing white to symbolize hope for the future. Each athlete’s jacket includes an embroidered patch representing their home country.
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Team Belgium, Fairchild
Image Credit: Lars Crommelinck/Courtesy of BOIC and Fairchild Dressage rider and designer Alexa Fairchild, who is also the granddaughter of legendary WWD chairman and editorial director John B. Fairchild, designed the uniforms for the Belgian national team.
Central to the collection is the “Embrace” concept of entwined ribbons in the black, yellow and red colors of the Belgian flag, inspired by its coat of arms and the country’s “unity makes strength” motto.
Members of the Belgian Olympic and Paralympic teams showcase the Team Belgium apparel imagined by Fairchild.
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The motif of arms embracing nods to celebrating triumphs but also comfort when experiencing defeat, while the ribbons are meant to indicate support, connection as well as flexibility, speed — and medals that will hopefully be placed around the necks of the team.
Athletic brand Peak Sport will manufacture the apparel to be worn at base camp, while traveling to Paris, in the Olympic village and at competition venues, the homecoming as well as the closing ceremony.
For Friday’s opening ceremony, the delegation is expected to wear formalwear designed by Caroline Biss for women and Café Costume for men, with other fashion partners providing footwear and other wardrobe elements.
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Team Haiti, Stella Jean
Image Credit: Courtesy of Stella Jean Designer Stella Jean created Team Haiti’s uniforms for the 2024 Paris Olympics. The uniforms featured artwork by Haitian painter Philippe Dodard, specifically his piece “Passage.” The 15-athlete team will wear the uniforms at the opening ceremony.
The women’s uniform consists of a full skirt adorned with Philippe Dodard’s artwork, complemented by a chambray shirt made from Haiti’s traditional “blue cotton,” a craft that is slowly fading. Over this, a sleeveless blazer crafted from recycled fabric features the Haitian Olympic emblem.
For the men’s uniform, the pants showcase the motif from Dodard’s painting, paired with a field jacket inspired by the traditional Guayabera shirt worn by local men, which pays homage to Jean’s grandfather. This ensemble is completed with a striped shirt and a printed scarf.
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Team Spain, Joma
Image Credit: Courtesy of Joma Team Spain’s uniforms for the 2024 Paris Olympics are designed by Joma, a Spanish sportswear brand.
The collection was inspired by the carnation flower, a symbol deeply rooted in Spanish culture, and is described as “fusing tradition with modernity.”The uniforms prominently feature the colors of the Spanish flag — red and yellow. This patriotic color scheme is evident in both the podium outfits and the opening and closing ceremony looks.
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Team Great Britain, Ben Sherman
Image Credit: Courtesy British brand Ben Sherman will dress the Great Britain team for the opening and closing ceremonies. This year marks the 20th anniversary of when Ben Sherman first collaborated with the team at the 2004 Athens Olympics.
“This time, the designs reflect the evolving landscape of British fashion and cultural identity. The ceremonial wear and retail capsule collection for Paris 2024 embodies a fresh perspective characterized by vibrant patterns, intricate detailing and renewed energy,” said Rachel Terrace, chief brand officer at Marquee Brands, the parent company that owns Ben Sherman along with Anti Social Social Club, Martha Stewart and Dakine.
The collection features motifs designed for the Olympics, including a deconstructed Union Jack, a unique logo incorporating symbolic flowers from the U.K.’s four nations: rose (England), thistle (Scotland), daffodil (Wales) and shamrock (Northern Ireland).
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Team Sierra Leone, Labrum
Image Credit: Courtesy of Labrum Adidas unveiled the official team kit for the National Olympic Committee of Sierra Leone, designed in collaboration with London-based label Labrum. The partnership reflects the heritage of Labrum’s founder, Foday Dumbuya, who has received the Queen Elizabeth II Award for British Design.
The collection incorporates elements that celebrate Dumbuya’s cultural background. For instance, the windbreakers feature a striking white and cobalt blue print inspired by cowrie shells, which historically symbolize wealth and prestige in African culture.
Dumbuya, who will be in Paris to support the Sierra Leone team, said the collaboration “not only embodies the hopes and dreams of these athletes but also serves as a beacon of joy and unity as they compete on the world stage.”
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Team Australia, Sportscraft
Image Credit: Getty Images Sportscraft created the official uniforms for Team Australia for the 2024 Paris Olympics. The design features an ombré green and gold print reminiscent of a warm summer sunset, symbolizing Australia’s national colors.
Men will wear a single-breasted blazer over a cotton T-shirt with gold and green ribbing, paired with knee-length beige chino shorts. Women have the option of a double-breasted blazer that can be worn with either beige shorts or a pleated skirt featuring the same ombre design.
Each blazer has the Australian Olympians’ Oath embroidered inside the pocket and the names of all 301 Australian Olympic champions on the lining. Indigenous artwork by Olympic boxer Paul Fleming and Torres Strait Island artist David Bosun is featured on accessories, including scarves.
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Team Australia, Speedo
Image Credit: Getty Images Speedo is the official swimwear supplier for Team Australia for the 2024 Paris Olympics. The brand created a collection featuring high-performance suits designed for various aquatic sports.
The swimwear is engineered to enhance performance in swimming, artistic swimming, water polo, surfing and diving. The collection incorporates Australia’s green and gold colors.
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Team Ukraine, 4F
Image Credit: Future Publishing via Getty Imag Team Ukraine’s official uniforms for the 2024 Paris Olympics have been designed by the Polish brand 4F. The uniforms feature wheat motifs and traditional embroidery, symbolizing growth and prosperity.
The unveiling took place in Kyiv in June. The uniforms were modeled by top Ukrainian Olympians, including canoeist Liudmyla Luzan and judoka Daria Bilodid, emphasizing the pride and readiness of the team.
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Team Japan, Asics
Image Credit: AFP via Getty Images Asics is the official sportswear for Team Japan at the 2024 Paris Olympics. The collection’s primary color is a new “Sunrise Red,” which creates a gradient effect on the main item, the “Podium Jacket.”
The collection features the “Yagasuri” graphic, a traditional Japanese pattern representing determination and strength.
Aiming to create garments that are both functional and eco-friendly, Asics focuses on environmentally friendly materials. The shoes are designed for easy recycling, maintaining high performance while reducing waste.
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Team Brazil, Riachuelo
Image Credit: Getty Images Riachuelo created Team Brazil’s collection for the 2024 Paris Olympics, which is inspired by Brazil’s heritage.
The uniforms feature Havaianas flip-flops, a striped shirt and an embroidered jacket. The color palette includes shades of green, blue and yellow, alluding to the Brazilian flag. The designs incorporate references to Brazilian biodiversity, featuring fauna and flora elements.
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Team China, Anta
Image Credit: VCG via Getty Images Anta designed Team China’s uniforms, which incorporate traditional Chinese elements. The primary colors used in the uniforms are red and yellow, which are symbolic of the Chinese flag and represent good fortune and happiness in Chinese culture.
Anta, a leading Chinese sportswear brand, has utilized advanced fabric technologies to ensure the uniforms are not only stylish but also functional, enhancing the athletes’ performance during the competitions.
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Team India, Tarun Tahilian
Image Credit: Hindustan Times via Getty Images Designer Tarun Tahiliani crafted the official ceremonial attire for Team India for the Olympics.
The male athletes will wear a kurta Bundi set, which reflects Tahiliani’s signature style. The Bundi is a traditional sleeveless jacket that complements the kurta.
Female athletes will wear an elegant sari featuring ikat-inspired digitally printed panels in saffron and green, along with blue buttonholes that represent the Ashoka Chakra. The sari will be paired with sneakers adorned with traditional Benares brocade.
The design incorporates the tricolor palette of the Indian flag, emphasizing national pride.
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Team Türkiye, Vakko
Image Credit: Courtesy of Vakko With 2024 marking the 100th anniversary of the country’s first participation in the Games, the Turkish national team will be wearing outfits designed by 90-year-old luxury brand Vakko.
The designs, which also include travel outfits for the athletes, are in the country’s red and white flag colors, with a touch of sky blue meant to represent peace.
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Team Uganda, IGC Fashion
Image Credit: Chris Lutanga/Courtesy of IGC Fashion For Uganda’s breakdance team, the Paris Olympics will be the occasion for two firsts. Not only is the sport making its entry into the competition, but its uniforms are 100 percent upcycled, courtesy of Ugandan streetwear label IGC Fashion.
More than 200 garments were used to create the 56 colorful, patchwork-designed pieces created though a partnership with the breakers and the French Embassy’s Solidarity Fund for Innovative Project.
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Team Nigeria, Actively Black
Image Credit: Sammy Oguejiofor/Courtesy of Actively Black Whatever happens between Friday and Aug. 11, four-year-old brand Actively Black is already a winner. This Los Angeles-based label was tapped by Nigeria’s national team to create its outfits for the opening and closing ceremonies as well as casualwear for the delegation in the Olympic Village and uniforms for competing athletes in track and field.
Expect the 20-plus athletes of the Nigerian contingent to sport outfits featuring nods to the country’s rich textile heritage, with traditional Nigerian prints in the flag’s black, green and white palette applied to great effect.
For the ceremonies, male representatives will wear an outfit inspired by the “senator suit” popular with the country’s politician, with a long vest over slim track pants, while female athletes will wear a style rooted in the buba dress. Accessories will include traditional gele and fila hats.
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Team Switzerland, On
Image Credit: Courtesy of On The Swiss Olympic and Paralympic team — and their fans — will be wearing outfits created through a three-way partnership between the country’s committee, retailer Ochsner Sport and homegrown global sportswear label On.
White and red dominate the 24-piece lineup that will accompany the athletes from opening ceremony to closing parade, nodding to the national flag, but the designs also play on gradients of colors inspired by the coat of arms of the country’s 26 cantons as a call for unity.
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Team Mexico, Men’s Fashion
Image Credit: Men’s Fashion Men’s Fashion, a contemporary fashion brand, was in charge of creating the uniforms of Team Mexico for the Paris 2024 Olympics.
The ceremonial uniforms feature a pink and white jacket adorned with black sketches celebrating Mexico’s diverse cultural heritage. This design aims to encapsulate the nation’s spirit and identity, under the “Victoria Alada” theme, which nods to the Angel of Independence, or El Ángel. The uniform also nods to the centennial of the beginning of Mexico’s War of Independence.
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Team Chinese Taipei, Just In XX
Image Credit: Courtesy of Just In XX For the second time, Just In XX designer Justin Chou imagined the opening ceremony outfits for athletes from Taiwan, under the name “Chinese Taipei,” blending innovative techniques and traditional crafts.
Cue 3D jacquard fabrics, labels woven from materials such as wood pulp and oyster shells, alongside traditional crafts such as Chunzai flowers featured on the opening ceremony uniforms.
Team Taiwan.
Courtesy of Just In XX
Chou also called on a roster of artists and noted craftspeople, including acclaimed painter Paul Chiang, with a print drawn from one of his landscape works; artisan Yan Yu-Ying, a national treasure in her homeland, whose banana-fiber textile nodding to traditional techniques from the indigenous Kalavan tribe were used for shoes and belts; and typography designer Kokia Lin.
Weaving artist Lin Pei-Ying also created lapel pins shaped like the island’s plumb blossom and canola flower.
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Medal Bearers, Louis Vuitton
Image Credit: Courtesy of LVMH Louis Vuitton, an official partner of the Olympic Games in Paris, designed outfits inspired by the 1920s for the 515 volunteers selected by the Paris 2024 organizing committee to present the medals.
“We have designed an elegant, sober, comfortable outfit so that the medal bearers can do their job in the best conditions with hundreds of millions of pairs of eyes around the world focused on them,” Antoine Arnault, LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton’s head of communication, image and environment, previously told WWD.
The unisex uniforms comprised of a polo shirt, loose pants and a traditional gavroche cap, which is a nod to the last time Paris hosted the Olympics in 1924, coinciding with the birth of sportswear.