Olympic team fashions seen at Opening Ceremonies
As the opening ceremonies began in Vancouver last week, I couldn’t help but wonder if anyone else noticed the contemporary apparel worn by each country’s Olympic competitors. As each team paraded into the winter wonderland of the BC Arena, one would expect to see a full range of puffy down jackets and Nordic sweaters, but what surprised me was how many trendy junior fashion ensembles were on display.
Like any other internationally televised event, it wouldn’t surprise me if some designers hurried off to create their own Olympic-inspired contemporary apparel. But I couldn’t help but chuckle at the predictable red Bermuda shorts worn by the Bermuda team, or ponder what inspired the colorful 70’s style psychedelic pants worn by the Azerbaijan team.
Anyone looking for one of those adorable reindeer caps worn by the U.S. athletes should look no further than Ralph Lauren, who was the official outfitter of the U.S. team.
Italy’s team entered the arena wearing crisp, tailored jackets, exuding a purely Italian aesthetic, and Austria’s selection of blue and purple blazers was a hit, but neither was as exciting as the small Republic of Estonia.
For being one of the least-populated countries in the EU, Estonia scored points wearing their wintry white jackets with a subtle blue snowflake pattern, along with furry ear-flapped hats.
Surprisingly, the Greek team’s white and blue track suits not so well received, leaving some commentators wondering if they were shooting for the “Smurf” look this year.
Clearly, as any Olympic hopeful knows, they can’t all be winners. However, it will be interesting to see what kind of sportswear will be inspired by the 2010 Olympics, and which teams will influence wholesale fashion apparel buyers such as Fashion Spot LA later this year.