Luxury fashion will take center stage at the 2024 Paris Olympics, with Louis Vuitton trunks safeguarding the medals and torch, and uniforms from Berluti, Ralph Lauren and Stella Jean.
Photo: Rory Payne. Vogue Arabia, October 2022
Fashion and sport have always been deeply connected, and the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games have highlighted just how closely intertwined these two worlds are. Even before the Games began, the City of Light was making waves for its fashionable approach to the Games, with luxury conglomerate LVMH at the forefront. As a Premium Partner of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, the company’s multifaceted partnership aims to showcase the best of French savoir-faire to the world. With an estimated sponsorship of 150 million euros, the group’s most valuable brands will be active in various capacities throughout the event, starting with a starry gala on the eve of the Opening Ceremony. As part of the “Olympic Opening”, LVMH Chairman and CEO Bernard Arnault, Comcast NBCUniversal Chairman and CEO Brian Roberts, Grammy Award winner and Louis Vuitton Men’s Creative Director Pharrell Williams and Anna Wintour will work together to host celebrities at the Frank Gehry-designed Fondation Louis Vuitton. Additionally, Louis Vuitton trunks will protect the medals and torch, while Chaumet will design the bronze, silver and gold medals. Other local brands will design the uniforms for their national teams. “Fashion and sport have always been linked. This relationship became even more evident in the 2000s with the rise of urban, everyday and chic sportswear, which integrated sports elements into modern fashion,” says Moroccan designer Ali Drissi, who designed the outfits worn by the Moroccan team at this year’s Olympic opening ceremony. With just days to go until the Olympics, it’s clear that Paris is poised to write a new, fashion-focused chapter in the world of sport.
Louis Vuitton trunk containing medals
For the Olympics, another LVMH brand, Berluti, will design the uniforms worn by the French athletes during the spectacular Opening Ceremony along the Seine. Founded in 1895, the historic luxury brand is known for its iconic leather goods, custom ready-to-wear and signature patinas. For this monumental occasion, the brand is creating 1,500 head-to-toe outfits for the French team, designed with elegance and comfort in mind and tailored to different body types. Designed in France and manufactured in Italy, under the creative direction of Carine Roitenfeld, the uniforms will highlight nearly 130 years of French excellence, its athletes and ambassadors. “The announcement of our partnership with LVMH for this year’s Olympics highlights the powerful intersection of luxury fashion and sport. This collaboration has inspired artisans, revitalized urban culture and created a new, globally accessible tapestry of fashion,” Saudi Arabian designer Noura Sulaiman added.
Chaumet’s Paris 2024 Olympic medal features a hexagonal centre carved from a genuine piece of iron from the Eiffel Tower.
Maison Chaumet also celebrated the momentous victory by becoming the first jeweler in Olympic history to design a medal. Celebrating more than two centuries of tradition, the medal immortalizes the City of Light by using a piece of iron from the Eiffel Tower to create a hexagon in the medal’s center. The medal will be presented on a Louis Vuitton tray featuring the brand’s signature Damier canvas print. Meanwhile, Dior has partnered with several athletes, including French Paralympic swimmer Alex Portal and Jamaican sprinter Elaine Thompson Heller, to serve as brand ambassadors.
Mongolian team uniforms designed by couture brands “Michelle” and “Amazonka”
Outside of France, local designers have designed the uniforms of several national teams. The US team was designed by Ralph Lauren (with other designers), who has been in charge of the team’s costumes since 2008, and referenced the brand’s interpretation of Americana. Meanwhile, the much talked-about Mongolian team uniform was designed by couture brand Michel and Amazonka, and features a vest with intricately embroidered cultural motifs. According to the designers, each uniform took 20 hours to complete. Canada’s red outfit was designed by Lululemon, and the jacket features a striking print of the maple leaf crest. For fashion brands, creating their own country’s Olympic uniforms highlights their unique cultural heritage, making it a matter of national pride and identity.
UAE team uniform designed by Rauda Al Shaafar
Domestically, the UAE team uniform was designed by Rawda Al Shaafar in mainly red and white. White symbolizes strength and purity, while the red Arabic letters represent courage. When Drissi received the brief from the Moroccan Olympic Committee (CNOM), his aim was to incorporate national symbols, such as the stars of the flag and the exact Pantone colours of the Moroccan Sahara. “Historically, our athletes have worn tailored outfits that reflect a universal spirit. We continued this tradition and added some signature elements, such as the names of champions and athletes proudly inscribed in honour on the lining of the blazer jacket. For the sneakers, we collaborated with local artist and illustrator Rebel Spirit, who created the artwork,” Drissi asserts. The Olympics are one of the most watched events in the world, giving fashion brands unparalleled global exposure. Designing uniforms allows designers to reach a large and diverse audience and increase awareness. “Team uniforms are my favorite piece of fashion. Several designers have enhanced the creativity and cultural expression of the players and showcased them on the world stage. My favorite is Haiti’s uniform, designed by Haitian-Italian designer Stella Jean,” asserts Sulaiman.
Morocco national team uniform designed by Moroccan designer Ali Drissi
Historically, sports have always influenced fashion. Take the polo T-shirt, invented by French tennis player René Lacoste. Designed as a more comfortable alternative to the long-sleeved T-shirts worn on the tennis court, his version eventually permeated mainstream fashion and is still worn today. “The Lacoste polo shirt is a great example. It has become an absolute lifestyle staple and means more than just sport. The pop culture element has helped make such an unconventional item a true leisure symbol for the rich and famous, while remaining familiar and approachable,” says fashion critic Osama Chabi. Sports uniforms have been regularly reinterpreted by designers around the world, including Arab creators. Sulaiman’s latest line, a luxury sportswear collection for men and women, is also inspired by tennis. “The introduction of tailored pieces in sports collections was particularly inspiring to me. Luxury in sports has now been elevated to a new level and I believe function, fabric and form will change the way fashion is consumed, both on and off the court. “The Sulaiman 25ft Tennis Collection expresses this interest and transformation,” explains the designer.
Noura Sulaiman’s tennis-inspired SS24 collection
Other notable references include the tracksuit, first designed by Le Coq Sportif in 1939. It made a spectacular appearance in pop culture in the 70s, when Bruce Lee wore a red tracksuit in the TV series Long Street. Since then, the silhouette has been reinterpreted over the decades, culminating in the 2000s with a velour version of the once-iconic Juicy Couture worn by Kim Kardashian and Paris Hilton. Sneakers have also transcended their sports origins to become a staple on high fashion runways and part of everyday wardrobes. Who can forget the Dior Fusion sneakers from Raf Simons’ era? Combining delicate sequin flowers with functional mesh, they were worn under couture dresses at the Spring/Summer 2014 Couture show and quickly became a fashion sensation. Brands like Lululemon and Alo made it cool to wear yoga pants and leggings outside the gym. The past decade has also seen a number of collaborations between sportswear brands and luxury labels, such as Miu Miu and New Balance, Stella McCartney and Adidas, and more recently Jacquemus and Nike. Such collaborations perfectly capture the zeitgeist, such as the growing popularity of streetwear, and appeal to different age groups who appreciate both fashion and functionality.
Left: Le Coq Sportif tracksuit from 1964. Right: Paris Hilton in the 2000s.
With this long-standing relationship in mind, it’s no wonder that the craze for fashion and sports will spill over into the Paris Olympics in new and unexpected ways. After all, the two have always been inextricably linked. The upcoming Olympics will not only be a celebration of sporting prowess, but also a spectacular display of artistic expression. Whether it’s the medals, ceremonial items, or uniform designs, the Games will leave a lasting impact, inspire future collaborations, and set new standards in fashion and sports.
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