Paris is preparing to host the 2024 Summer Olympics, and it’s not just the athletes and their records that are causing a stir. This year’s Paris Games are poised to usher in a whole new era of sports fashion, blurring the lines between athletic performance and haute couture.
Traditionally, Olympic clothing focuses on functionality. Breathable fabrics, aerodynamic cuts and team colors have dominated the landscape. While these elements remain important, the games of 2024 will take a more fashionable approach.
Leading sportswear brands such as Nike, Adidas and Le Coq Sportif collaborate with renowned designers with excellent results. Take France for example. Stephane Ashpool, a rising star in French fashion, designed their match uniforms together with established sportswear brand Le Coq Sportif. This collaboration resulted in a unique collection that combines athletic functionality with Ashpool’s signature streetwear aesthetic.
Think high-performance fabrics with bold stripes and color blocking, or tracksuits with innovative cuts and tailoring, like those made in Germany by Adidas and featuring a deconstructed version of their classic colors. This fusion of function and flair pushes the boundaries of traditional sports fashion and creates a unique spectacle on the world stage.
Paris, a global fashion capital, provides the perfect backdrop for this sartorial evolution. The city’s rich design history, as well as its reputation for pushing boundaries, gives the athletesc wear displplease something extra. Imagine French elegance infused into matchwear, like the blue, custom-made tuxedo that Berluti designed for the French team’s opening ceremony.
The 2024 Olympics will also witness a move towards greater personalization in sports fashion. While national colors will still play a role, there is an increasing emphasis on celebrating individual athletes and their unique styles. We could see more freedom in accessories, such as the custom-designed sneakers that Cariuma created for the skateboard teams of the Netherlands, Slovakia and Portugal. We may also see custom details on uniforms, or even variations within team outfits that reflect each athlete’s personality, such as a pop of color chosen by the athlete. This shift personalizes the Olympic experience, presenting athletes not just as competitors, but as individuals with a sense of style.
Sustainability is another important theme influencing sports fashion at the Paris Olympics. Brands and designers are increasingly using environmentally friendly materials and production processes. Recycled polyester, organic cotton and innovative dyeing techniques are incorporated into competition clothing. This commitment to sustainability reflects a growing awareness of environmental issues within the fashion industry, and the Olympic Games provide a powerful example.
Technology also plays an important role in the evolution of sports fashion. Think of uniforms with integrated sensors that monitor an athlete’s performance data or clothing that adapts to different weather conditions. These technological advancements are not just about improving performance; they also have the potential to create visually striking and innovative designs.
Here are some of the designers you’ll see at the 2024 Paris Olympics…
Prada
.
Berluti
.
Nike
.
Le Coq Sportif
.
Alexa Fairchild
.
J. Lindeberg
.
ASICS
.
Chaumet
.
Ben Sherman
.
Cariuma
.
Left on Friday
.
The North Face
Featured image: @lecoqsportif/Instagram
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