Sport and fashion have always been a dream team. With Paris, the so-called fashion capital of the world, hosting the Olympics and Paralympics this year, style is sure to be a talking point.
Many national teams have collaborated with designers and brands to create outfits for the opening and closing ceremonies. Here's what some of the teams will be wearing.
Team UAE: A Friend of Mine by Xpoze
Emirati friends Rawdha Al Shaffar, Buthaina Al Marri and Fatma Al Muddhareb are behind the streetwear brand A Friend of Mine by Xpoze, tasked with dressing Team UAE for the Paris Olympics.
Featuring a predominantly white collection, looks include unisex sweatshirts with "the United Arab Emirates" in bright red Arabic letters across the front. The UAE flag is on the chest, alongside the words "Team UAE" and the Olympics logo, with a stylised logo of A Friend of Mine on the other side.
Another look includes sweatshirts and T-shirts with a large grey panel running across the front and sleeves on which "UAE" is printed. These looks are paired with white track pants with the UAE flag printed next to the pocket.
Some athletes can be seen sporting hijabs with their Olympic outfits.
Team France: Berluti
All eyes will be on France as the host nation. Berluti, the French luxury brand owned by LVMH, is the team's official outfitter.
Founded in 1895, the brand has now become known as much for its leather goods as its fine tailoring.
For the Olympics, Berluti consulted with a panel of athletes who participated in ceremonies from Barcelona 1992 to Tokyo 2020. The result is a combination of comfort and elegance, featuring a white shirt worn with a midnight-blue tuxedo jacket with a lapel echoing the brand's signature “burnished leather” in the colours of the French flag.
Men will wear matching plain pants with trainers, while women will have the additional option of a wrap skirt complete with a pair of patent moccasins.
Team Egypt: Concrete
Egyptian fashion label Concrete is the official outfitter for Paris. Featuring lightweight fabrics for the Parisian summer, the sleek suits for both men and women are paired with organic Egyptian cotton T-shirts.
“This is more than just a look – it's a symbol of Egyptian pride, passion and determination to make history on the world's biggest athletic stage,” said Concrete art director Ettore Veronese.
Team India: Tarun Tahiliani
Designer Tarun Tahiliani, who recently made a splash at the Ambani wedding, is known for his regal take on traditional Indian clothing. He's created the ceremonial looks for Team India via his ready-to-wear label Tasva.
The opening ceremony looks include a white kurta topped with a bundi, or a sleeveless Nehru jacket, for men, and white saris for women. Panels in green and orange run along the borders for both men and women, the three colours echoing the Indian tricolour flag.
“The ceremonial dress is inspired by India’s rich cultural heritage and the tricolour that will proudly represent our nation on the global stage,” Tasva posted on Instagram.
Team USA: Ralph Lauren
For the ninth consecutive Olympics, the celebrated American designer and his brand are the official outfitter for Team USA. Ralph Lauren has designed separate outfits for athletes for the opening and closing ceremonies, as well as for use during and after the Games.
While the opening ceremony looks feature a classic navy Ralph Lauren blazer with red and white detailing, the closing ceremony uniforms are more sporty racecar-style jackets with USA patch detailing. Denim also features heavily in the collection.
“We worked very closely with the athletes, with the Olympic Committee, to create a collection we think tells a story about America,” David Lauren, the brand's chief branding and innovation officer, told CNN. “We want the athletes to walk out on a global stage feeling like they are ambassadors of American culture, American leadership and American sportsmanship.”
Team GB: Ben Sherman
Founded in 1963, UK heritage brand Ben Sherman is again the official outfitter for this year's Olympics, having dressed the team for the 2016 and 2020 Olympics.
While the opening ceremony look features a bomber-style jacket, paired with an open-neck polo and Oxford trousers, the closing ceremony outfit features a floral shirt, styled with Oxford shorts and suede loafers. Featuring heavily in both looks is the four-nation floral motif, which includes the English rose, the Scottish thistle, the Welsh daffodil and the Irish shamrock, symbolising each UK nation.
Team Italy: EA7 Emporio Armani
Once again, Italian fashion powerhouse Giorgio Armani is designing for Team Italy, through his ready-to-wear EA7 Emporio Armani label.
Unveiled during men's fashion week in Milan in June last year, the kit includes looks that “combine Armani DNA with the heart of Italian culture”, the brand said. Interesting elements include the first verse of the Italian national anthem printed on the lining of the jackets.
“I created functional yet elegant garments designed to distinguish the team and to convey a strong sense of belonging to our athletes,” Armani, who recently celebrated his 90th birthday, said.
Team Canada: Lululemon
The brand, which has headquarters in Vancouver, is designing its first Summer Olympics kit and said it worked with Olympic and Paralympic athletes across 14 sports to understand their needs. The set features lightweight, sweat-proof fabrics that cool, plus newly engineered pocket shapes and placements. Some of the gear also features removable sleeves and pants that convert into shorts.
While the print-heavy opening ceremony look is inspired by “art, architecture and nature found throughout Canada”, the closing ceremony outfits is the brand's interpretation of the aurora borealis, one of the auroras, or natural light displays, occurring in the Northern Hemisphere.
Team Mongolia: Michel&Amazonka
Causing a stir online when they were first unveiled, Team Mongolia's chic looks were praised for their high-fashion finish and cultural representation.
Founded in 2015 by sisters Michel and Amazonka Choigaalaa, the Ulaanbaatar-based label also dressed Team Mongolia at the Tokyo Olympics. The brand is known for its distinctively Mongolian designs.
Traditional elements rule in the two styles designed for each gender, including loose-fitting robes, embroidered vests cone-shaped hats and gutal boots with upturned toes.
Team Haiti: Stella Jean
An Italian-Haitian designer based in Rome, Stella Jean is the creative behind Team Haiti's high-fashion looks, intended to highlight the cultural vitality of the Caribbean nation.
“For these athletes, it’s a victory just to be here,” the designer told the Associated Press.
“This will be the first good news coming out of Haiti in at least the last three years,” she said of the athletes’ appearance at the Olympics, referencing news about political turmoil, poverty or natural disasters being associated with the country. “So, I felt the responsibility to say as much as I can about the country.”
Working with Haitian painter Philippe Dodard, the women’s uniform features a full skirt bearing Dodard’s artworks paired with a chambray shirt and layered with a sleeveless blazer. The men's uniform features pants with similar Dodard painting, paired with a shirt topped with a jacket and accessorised with a printed scarf.
Team Philippines: Francis Libiran
Designer Francis Libiran is behind Team Philippines' striking ceremonial dress featuring a traditional barong shirt featuring a detachable silk sling. The sling, in the colours of the Philippine flag, is embroidered with the rays of the sun, symbolising hope, as well as warrior patterns, a symbol of bravery.
“I wanted something that represents our athletes as they go into battle,” Libiran told Preview magazine. “Every element of the design showcases the rich cultural heritage of the Philippines.”
Team South Korea: Musinsa Standard
Blue is the colour of choice for Team Korea, with designs by fashion label Musinsa Standard. Paying homage to the 80s and 90s fashion, the power suits are cinched at the waist with a belt, inspired by traditional Korean garments. The inside of the suits are lined by patterns seen in porcelain popular in Korean culture.
Team Spain: Joma
Inspired by the carnation, Spain's national flower, and the colours of the Spanish flag, Team Spain's uniforms come courtesy of sports apparel brand Joma.
Divided into three lines – Parade, Podium and Village – the entire collection is focused on sustainability, fusing tradition with high-performance fabrics. The Parade line, to be worn at the ceremonies, features long trousers, a shirt and blazer for men. For women, it includes a pleated midi skirt with a gradient, contrasting belt, buttoned collar T-shirt, jacket and a bag.
