The Paris 2024 Olympics and Paralympics are generating significant excitement, and while athletic prowess takes center stage, the sartorial choices, particularly the Olympics 2024 Uniforms, are also capturing global attention. The recent opening ceremony on the Seine, despite some rainy conditions, showcased striking uniform designs, most notably from host nation France and Team GB. Beyond the athlete attire, the elegant medal bearers and the prestigious medal presentation elements further highlight the intersection of high fashion and international sport.
Athlete Uniforms: A Stylish Culture Clash on the World Stage
With luxury conglomerate LVMH serving as a premium partner for the Games, anticipation for stylish Olympics 2024 uniforms was naturally elevated. As the French team paraded along the Seine during the opening ceremony, expectations were met with sophisticated designs.
French luxury brand Berluti, established in 1895, was entrusted by LVMH to create the opening and closing ceremony outfits for the French athletes. Berluti’s approach to the Olympics 2024 uniforms successfully blended high-end aesthetics with a commitment to sustainability. For months, the Maison’s skilled artisans in Italy meticulously crafted 1,500 outfits, also expanding their size range to ensure inclusivity for all athletes.
The French athletes made a stylish entrance in Berluti tuxedos tailored from elegant midnight-blue wool. These Olympics 2024 uniforms featured distinctive shawl collars with a blue and red patina, subtly referencing the French flag. Complementing the tuxedos were Berluti’s Shadow trainers for men and Lorenzo leather loafers for women. Each ensemble was completed with a shirt, belt, scarf, or pocket square, ensuring every member of the French team exuded Parisian chic from head to toe in their Olympics 2024 uniforms.
French team uniforms designed by Berluti for Paris 2024 Olympics opening ceremony
In contrast to France’s classic elegance, Team GB opted for a more contemporary and playful design for their Olympics 2024 uniforms. Heritage brand Ben Sherman, for the third consecutive Olympics, partnered with Happy Socks to deliver their apparel line. Key pieces included a bomber-style jacket featuring a unique four-nation floral motif embroidered on the back – a rose, thistle, daffodil, and shamrock symbolizing the United Kingdom’s four nations. This Olympics 2024 uniform also incorporated a knitted polo shirt with a geometric pattern, suede loafers, and patterned socks, completing a look that was both modern and distinctly British.
For the closing ceremony, Team GB will showcase different Olympics 2024 uniforms, featuring a floral shirt adorned with the same symbolic motif, styled with Oxford shorts, a belt, and specially designed Closing Ceremony liner socks in collaboration with Happy Socks.
Medal Bearers’ Outfits: A Nod to the Belle Époque
Celebrating France’s rich sartorial history, the Olympics 2024 uniforms for the volunteer medal bearers draw inspiration from the 1920s – a period when Paris last hosted the Games in 1924. LVMH Styling Director Kaori Moritz-Ishikawa paid tribute to the Belle Époque, a transformative era that marked the beginning of unisex fashion. She conceived a relaxed silhouette for the 515 volunteer medal bearers, who are young members of national sports federations. Their Olympics 2024 uniforms consist of roomy white polo shirts, wide-legged trousers, and traditional Gavroche caps, projecting a timeless French style.
Sustainability remained a key consideration in the design process for these Olympics 2024 uniforms. The trousers are crafted from a poly-wool blend incorporating recycled materials, while the polo shirts and caps utilize textiles sourced from Weturn, a French upcycling manufacturer.
Bespoke Trunks: Luxury Meets Olympic Heritage
Louis Vuitton further contributed to the luxury aesthetic of the Games by unveiling four bespoke trunks. These trunks are specifically designed to house the Olympic medals and torches, embodying the brand’s renowned luxury and craftsmanship. Adorned with Louis Vuitton’s iconic Monogram and Damier canvases, these trunks represent a grandeur fitting for the prestigious event.
The medal trunks are ingeniously designed to hold up to 468 medals. They feature a central compartment flanked by two hinged wings, ensuring both protection and display of these highly sought-after awards. Conversely, the torch trunks are equipped with circular sockets to securely hold the Olympic torches. These bespoke pieces are integral to Louis Vuitton’s mission for Paris 2024, continuing its legacy of crafting handmade trunks and associating the brand with key celebratory moments of the Olympics 2024.
Louis Vuitton torch trunk for Paris 2024 Olympics
The Medals: A Symbol of Parisian Craftsmanship
The Olympics 2024 medals themselves are masterpieces of design, conceived by Parisian jeweler Chaumet. A fixture of Place Vendôme since 1812, Chaumet is the first jeweler in Olympic history to undertake the creation of the medals.
Chaumet’s signature love for hexagons is evident in the medal design. At the heart of each medal is a striking emblem crafted from iron salvaged from the Eiffel Tower during its renovation. This symbolic incorporation offers each winner a tangible piece of French heritage. Surrounding the emblem, clever faceting creates reflective ‘rays’, symbolizing Paris as the City of Lights. According to LVMH, this medal design is intended to be “both confident and bold, perfectly matched to the sporting feats of the athletes,” enhancing the prestige of the Olympics 2024 uniforms and awards ceremony.
The Medal Tray: A Louis Vuitton Crafted Masterpiece
Medals of such significance deserve a presentation of equal elegance. The trays that the medal bearers will use are exquisitely crafted by Louis Vuitton artisans in Maine-et-Loire, drawing inspiration from the brand’s trunk-making heritage. Mirroring the design of the medal and torch trunks, the elegant tray is constructed from Louis Vuitton’s iconic Damier canvas and lined with sleek matte black leather.
Designed to hold between two and six medals, the tray is engineered to be as lightweight as possible for the comfort of the medal bearers during the victory ceremonies, completing the sophisticated presentation of the Olympics 2024 awards.
In conclusion, the Olympics 2024 uniforms and associated presentation elements represent a harmonious blend of sustainability, inclusivity, and national pride. Beyond athletic competition, this year’s Olympics showcases a modern era of style and progress on a global stage, where fashion and sport converge to celebrate human achievement.
