[FASHION SPECIAL]: Olympic Ceremony Unveils - Who Gets the Fashion Gold?

Aug 05, 2016

Official logo of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) - 2016 A.D. Summer Olympics / Rio de Janeiro

The most stylish sporting uniforms of the first Olympics to be hosted in a South American country, the 2016 Rio Olympics & Paralympics are dropping big fashion designer names and it's not even Fashion Week.

Labels like Ralph Lauren for the USA, DSquared2 for Canada, Chrisitan Louboutin for Cuba, Sweden's H&M, Britain's Stella McCartney, France's Lacoste, and Giorgio Armani designing for the Italian athletes (their country's flag "Italia" is emblazoned in gold across the back of the zipper pull tracksuit and retails for $375.00!).

The Ancient Olympic Games were religious and athletic festivals held every four years at the sanctuary of Zeus in Olympia, Greece. The competition was among the representatives of several city-states and kingdoms of Ancient Greece. These Games featured mainly athletic but also combat sports such as wrestling and the pankration, horse, and chariot racing events. It has been widely written that during the Games, all conflicts among the participating city-states were postponed until the Games were finished. This cessation of hostilities was known as the Olympic peace or truce[1]

"If someone were to ask for the recipe for "becoming Olympic",

I would say that the first prerequisite is to be joyful."

-Pierre de Coubertin

So, let's forget about the current day news headlines about this year's host city for the Summer Olympics in the Brazilian oceanfront city of Rio de Janeiro like the Zika virus (one country's fashion collection has an unreal solution for keeping their athletes healthy...) and doping on the Russian team. Writing this article has me addicted to my own drugs -- pride, pure, swelling-up-inside pride...excitement for the athletes who have DREAMED of competing in THE games of all sporting games. So, on this historic day, the Opening Ceremonies in Rio, celebrating 207 nation's athletes and listening to award-winning The Script's Hall of Fame on my Spotify favorite list, here are some of this year's Parade of Nations (or Opening Ceremony) sporting uniforms.

Welcome to Rio!

August 5 - 21, 2016

Since Rio is Carnival that only can mean one thing: being a fashion statement. Which country's designing team gets the fashion gold, the bronze, or who doesn't make it to the winner's podium? Which designs make you feel 'joyful'?

You be the judge.

The Script - Hall of Fame ft. will.i.am - YouTube

Standing in the hall of fame

And the world's gonna know your name

'Cause you burn with the brightest flame

And the world's gonna know your name

And you'll be on the walls of the Hall of Fame

You could go the distance

You could run the mile

You could walk straight through hell with a smile

You could be the hero

You could get the gold

Breaking all the records that thought, never could be broke

Do it for your people

Do it for your pride....

First up, the Down Under country - Australia.

AUSTRALIA - 419 athletes

Athletes Jessica Fox (Canoe/Kayak / @JessFoxxx) and Ed Jenkins (Rugby Captain / @edjenkins86) pose with a Brazilian dancer in their ceremony uniforms designed by Sportscraft (@Sportscraft). [image credit: The Guardian]

The 2016 Aussie collection is very yacht-like sporting preppy tailored jackets in light green-and-white-striped cotton seersucker blazers with taping in dark green. The jacket has a symbolic detailed touch, with 107 names of the Australian gold medal winners printed on the inside lining. Pair it with white shorts or skirts for the women and you have the stylings of Sportcraft. What shoes to wear? That would be white brogues by Southern California-based Toms Shoes (@TOMS) (they are having a very G'Day as their premiere Olympic debut).

Sportscraft Unveils the 2016 Australian Olympic Team

Opening Ceremony Uniform

CANADA - 309 athletes

Canada's athletes dressed by Canadian's Dean and Dan Caten and sold at The Bay [image: GQ.com]

Not one but TWO Canadian designers, known worldwide as the stylings behind the Canadian Olympic team for this Summer's Rio Games are none other than Toronto-born designers, namely the stylish and uber-successful twins behind the Dsquared2 label (@Dsquared2), Dean and Dan Caten. The brotherly team also designed the uniforms for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver and if you didn't catch those gorgeous threads you can flashback by clicking here.

"When we first heard that...Dean and Dan Caten, were designing Canada's Olympic opening ceremony uniform, we thought: Of course. Not only are they Canucks, but...the twosome never half-asses it when it comes to turning inspiration into a crystal clear idea." - Max Berlinger, GQ

SHOP: The Hudson Bay (@hudsonsbay - now, how iconic Canadiana is, that?) Shop their *SALE* going on now!

CUBA - 115 athletes

[image credit: Post Gazette]

Cuba's 115 styled athletes will be ceremony-walking in red, cream and black designed by all shoe aficionados' favorite name, Christian Louboutin (@LouboutinWorld). And, yes, there are low-heeled kitten-heel-like shoes in the Olympic collection styled by French famed footwear god and French concept store owner, Henri Tai of Sporty Henri (@SportyHenri) (a former professional handball player). Louboutin is a long way from his native France but certainly no stranger to Brazil having three storefronts in the South American country. So, why Cuba and not France? His website has no store locations in Havana... the closest store is Miami Beach...so, what gives, you ask? C'est enthusiasm. Can't argue with that.

“The clothes need to fit spectacular athlete bodies – they are definitely not sample size or average, neither in length of limbs, nor in proportions. It was our mission to make them look tailor-fitted and great,” - Henri Tai

Cuban-chic Olympic athletes model with the fashion stylings of Christian Louboutin [image credit: Paste Magazine]

FRANCE - 396 athletes

Like the USA team, same colored flag so.....complimentary colors. Blue, white, and red are in everything from blazers, trousers, and shirts and designed again by Lacoste (@LACOSTE), the alligator logo company that is really chic around the world. While France is certainly not short on upscale and famous design houses, Lacoste designed for the Sochi Games and has since renewed their agreement to design for the France Olympic Committee through to the 2020 Olympics.

Lacoste Olympic stylings complete with a France flag-colored alligator, mais oui! [image credit: NY Times]

SOUTH KOREA - 205 athletes

South Korean Olympic athletes and models show the 2016 Summer Olympic team ceremony and games' uniforms at the Korean National Training Center in Seoul this past April. [image credit: YONHAP/AFP/GETTY]

South Korea is aiming to finish in the Top 10 on the medals board for the 4th consecutive Games with 10 gold metals from their world-class athletes. The small but powerful country finished 5th overall in the medals standings in London's 2012 games. Their ceremony dress uniforms have been an interesting fashion topic since the Korean Olympic Committee unveiled the formal stylings featuring white, long trousers and long-sleeved shirts under a navy blazer that are all Zika-proof, having all been treated with insect repellent to keep their athletes healthy and keep the world epidemic Zika virus as bay.

USA - 550 athletes

Seeing Gold: Haley Anderson (Swimming / @SwimHaley), Ryan Lochte (Swimming / @RyanLochte)

and Jordan Burroughs (Wrestler / @alliseeisgold) [image credit: Ecouterre.com

RALPH LAUREN isn't a name that is new to the Olympics or Fashion Weekly (formerly A Fashionable Blog (2012-16 and having written about or mentioning him in first person or his company). With the outcry of disappointment of the London 2012 uniforms (too 'French' with a beret to boot) and public views to 'burn' them, the Brazilian Games' official athlete fashions are again designed by the Godfather of Americana. Keeping with IOC dress code regulations, this year's collection is more lawn tennis than a Gold Quest international sporting event.

“I think they should take all the uniforms, put them in a big pile and burn them and start all over again,” then-Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) told ABC News in 2012.

Ralph Lauren (@RalphLauren), one of the world's most widely recognized families of consumer brands for almost half a century, however, keeps patriotic consumers happy with the MADE IN USA true to the label's beliefs. One such company is Rancourt & Company, a 4th generation family-owned shoemaker based in Maine and one of Lauren's 40+ U.S. partners who produce products for the label. They are happy for the domestic business boom, expanding its staff from 20 to 65 for the demand of their Olympic patterned shoes bearing the U.S. Olympic Team seal.

[Fashion Insider Surprise: watch this year's U.S. flag bearer, Olympic medalist, Michael Phelp's (@MichaelPhelps) "USA" on his jacket as he enters the Maracana stadium. Old Glory will boast the Silicon Valley's tech-savvy electroluminescent panels...it will be really cool.]

Rancourt & Co. shoemaker for the Ralph Lauren Rio 2016 Olympic Collection
[image credit: ECouterre.com]

“...As a company, it’s an honor to be able to do our part in supporting the team and its future.” -- David Lauren, the brand’s executive vice president of global advertising, marketing and communications — son of designer Ralph Lauren.

SHOP: The Polo Ralph Lauren Team USA Collection is available in select Ralph Lauren and Polo Ralph Lauren retail stores, Ralphlauren.com, select U.S. department stores, and online at TeamUSAShop.com.

The Collection is also available at the USA House Shop in Rio, open during the Olympic Games. Bring your VISA credit card when you're in Rio, however, corporate sponsor rules and in recognition of Visa’s support of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, the U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC) accepts only Visa at TeamUSAShop.com.

SEE: The Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT) museum in New York City’s Garment District, has the exhibition "Uniformity" through November 19th. A look at the history of uniforms and their impact on fashion.

. . .

OPENING CEREMONY

Friday, August 5, 2016 at 8pm Rio Local.

Get all of the info, including when and how to watch if you are not in Rio and start times in your country by clicking here.

. . .

You want to be a part of this fashionable and historic event to see all the fashion and high-energy Rio is known for. Model Gisele Bündchen (@giseleofficial) will be making a special appearance, she is, after all, Brazilian. May the best (fashion) team win and thanks for reading Fashion Weekly and remember to watch Team USA's 'Glow'!

My Olympic best wishes to you,
x

P.S. Closing Ceremonies will be held on August 21, 2016, at 8pm local Rio. Check your local broadcasting listings.

:: MORE ::

Flag Bearers of All Nations - Which athlete has your country has chosen? [Indian Express]