Louis Vuitton trunks safeguarding the medals and torches; Berluti, Ralph Lauren, and Stella Jean uniforms – luxury fashion takes centerstage at Paris Olympics 2024. Photo: Rory Payne. Vogue Arabia, October 2022 Fashion and sports have always shared a deep connection, and the Olympic and Paralympic Games Paris 2024 highlighted just how intertwined these two worlds truly are.
Even before the games begin, the City of Lights was in the news for its fashionable approach toward the Olympics , with luxury conglomerate LVMH at the forefront. The premium partner of the Olympic and Paralympic games, its multifaceted partnership aims to spotlight the best of French Savoir-faire globally. The sponsorship, valued at an estimated 150 million euros, will have the group’s most high-valued brands working in different capacities throughout the event, starting with a starry celebration on the eve of the opening ceremony.
As a “Prelude to the Olympics”, LVMH chairman and CEO Bernard Arnault, Comcast NBCUniversal chairman and CEO Brian Roberts, Grammy-winner and Louis Vuitton men’s creative director Pharrell Williams, and Anna Wintour will join forces to welcome renowned names at the Frank Gehry-designed Fondation Louis Vuitton. What’s more, Louis Vuitton trunks will safeguard the medals and torches, while Chaumet designed the bronze, silver, and gold medals. Elsewhere, homegrown brands are designing uniforms for their country’s teams.
“Fashion and sports have always been interconnected. This relationship has become even more evident with the rise of urban, everyday, and chic sportswear in the 2000s, integrating athletic elements into modern fashion,” says Moroccan designer Ali Drissi , who designed the outfits for the Moroccan team to wear during this year’s Olympics opening ceremony. With the Olympics just days away, it’s clear that Paris is marking a new and fashion-focused chapter in sports.
The Louis Vuitton trunk housing the medals The games will see another LVMH brand, Berluti, design uniforms for the French athletes to wear during the magnum opus opening ceremony along the Seine. Founded in 1895, the historical luxury brand is known for its iconic leather goods, bespoke ready-to-wear, and signature patina. For this momentous occasion, the brand is creating 1,500 head-to-toe outfits for Team France, keeping elegance and comfort in mind and considering different body shapes.
Designed in France and manufactured in Italy, under the creative direction of Carine Roitnfeld, the uniforms will highlight nearly 130 years of exceptional French know-how, and the athletes, and its ambassadors. “The announcement of LVMH’s partnership at this year’s games highlights the powerful intersection of luxury fashion and sports. This collaboration has inspired artisans to revitalize urban culture, creating a new, globally accessible tapestry of fashion,” adds Saudi designer Noura Sulaiman .
Olympic Games Paris 2024 medals with a hexagon center cut from an authentic piece of iron from the Eiffel Tower, Chaumet. Maison Chaumet celebrated an important win, too, as it became the first jeweler in the history of the Olympics to design the medals. Showcasing more than two centuries of heritage, the medals immortalize the City of Light by using pieces of iron from the Eiffel Tower to create the hexagon set in the middle of the medal.
The medals will be presented on Louis Vuitton trays featuring the label’s signature Damier canvas print. Meanwhile, Dior partnered with multiple athletes, including French paralympic swimmer Alex Portal and Jamaican sprinter Elaine Thompson-Herah, to be brand ambassadors. Team Mongolia uniforms designed by couture brand Michel and Amazonka Outside of France, homegrown designers have designed the uniforms of multiple national teams.
Team USA was designed by Ralph Lauren (alongside other designers)– who has dressed the team since 2008 – and will once reference the brand’s take on Americana. Meanwhile, Team Mongolia’s much-talked-about uniforms, designed by couture brand Michel and Amazonka, feature vests with intricately embroidered cultural motifs. According to the designers, each uniform took 20 hours to complete.
Lululemon designed Team Canada’s red outfits, boasting a striking print with a maple leaf crest on the jackets. For fashion brands, creating their country’s Olympics uniform becomes a matter of national pride and identity as they highlight their country’s unique cultural heritage. Team UAE uniforms designed by Rawdha Al Shaafar Closer to home, team UAE’s uniform was designed by Rawdha Al Shaafar in primarily red and white; white symbolizes strength and purity, and the red text in Arabic represents courage.
When Drissi received the brief from the Moroccan National Olympic Committee (CNOM) his goal was to incorporate national symbols, like the flag’s star and the exact Pantone color of the Moroccan Sahara. “Historically, our athletes have worn tailored outfits, reflecting a universal spirit. We continued this tradition, adding several distinct elements like the blazer jacket’s lining which boasts the names of our champions and athletes as a tribute.
For the sneakers, we collaborated with local artist and illustrator Rebel Spirit, who created the artwork on them,” affirms Drissi. The Olympics are one of the most-watched events worldwide, offering fashion brands unparalleled global exposure. Designing the uniforms allows designers to reach a massive and diverse audience, enhancing their visibility.
“The team uniforms are my favorite fashion moment, with several designers elevating the creativity and cultural representation for their athletes to be showcased on the world stage. My favorites include Haiti’s uniforms designed by Haitian-Italian designer Stella Jean,” affirms Sulaiman. Team Morocco uniforms by Moroccan designer Ali Drissi Historically, sports have always influenced fashion.
Take the polo t-shirt , invented by French tennis player René Lacoste. Designed to be a more comfortable alternative to the previously worn long-sleeved t-shirt on tennis courts, his version eventually made its way into mainstream fashion and is still worn. “The Lacoste Polo is a prime example – it has become an absolute lifestyle staple and stands for so much more than sports.
Certain pop culture elements have contributed to making such iconoclasts true leisure symbols for the rich and famous while remaining accessible and relatable,” says fashion commentator Osama Chabbi. The sport’s uniform has been reinterpreted regularly by designers worldwide, including Arab creatives. Sulaiman’s latest line – a luxury sportswear collection for men and women was also inspired by tennis.
“The appearance of tailored pieces in sports collections has particularly inspired me. I believe that athletic luxury is now being elevated to a new level, where function, fabric, and form transform how fashion is consumed, whether on or off the court. The Sulaiman 25′ Tennis Collection expresses this interest and transformation,” elaborates the designer.
Noura Sulaiman’s tennis-inspired SS24 collection Other notable references include the tracksuits first designed by Le Coq Sportif in 1939 which entered pop culture with a bang in the 70s cue Bruce Lee’s red tracksuit in the Television series Longstreet. Since then, the silhouette has been reinterpreted through the decades, reaching fever pitch in the 2000s with the once iconic Juicy Couture velour versions championed by Kim Kardashian and Paris Hilton. Sneakers, too, have transcended their athletic origins and have become a mainstay on the runways of high fashion brands and a part of everyday wardrobes.
Who can forget the Dior Fusion sneaker during the era of Raf Simons? The sneaker, featuring delicate sequinned flowers juxtaposed with functional mesh, was paired under couture dresses for the Spring/Summer 2014 couture show and instantly made waves amongst the fashion fraternity. Brands like Lululemon and Alo have made wearing yoga pants/leggings outside the gym cool. The past decade has also seen multiple collaborations between sportswear brands and luxury labels, including Miu Miu with New Balance, Stella McCartney with Adidas, and most recently, Jacquemus and Nike.
Such collaborations perfectly capture the zeitgeist, like the rising popularity of streetwear, and speak to a diverse age group – who like both fashion and functionality. Left: Le Coq Sportif tracksuit from 1964. Right: Paris Hilton in the 2000s Keeping this longstanding association in mind, it’s unsurprising to see fashion’s obsession with sports spill over into the Paris Olympics in new and unexpected ways.
Ultimately, the two will always go hand in hand. The upcoming games are not only a celebration of athletic prowess but also a spectacular display of artistic expression. Whether through the design of medals, ceremonial objects, or uniforms – the games will have a lasting impact – inspiring future collaborations and setting new standards for fashion and sports.
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