Tarun Tahiliani to Lululemon: What athletes are wearing to the Olympics in Paris

Similar to previous Games, nations are collaborating with leading designers to provide attire for contests and ceremonies.
Fashion and sports have always made a great combination. This year's Olympics and Paralympics in Paris, the "fashion capital," will make fashion just as important as skill in sports for the largest sporting event of the year.
Like every event, each nation has collaborated with fashion houses and designers to provide clothing for the Games' opening and closing ceremonies, podium appearances, and travel.

Here's what some of shown dresses the top teams will be wearing on the event.

Team France: Berluti

This year, Team France will be the center of attention, so the host team is making sure every athlete gives it their all both on and off the field. The official team outfitter is LVMH-owned French luxury brand Berluti.

Established in 1895, the company is today recognized for both its exquisite tailoring and leather items.

Berluti sought advice for the Olympics from a group of athletes who took part in ceremonies from Barcelona in 1992 to Tokyo in 2020. The end look combines comfort and style, with a midnight-blue tuxedo jacket and white shirt paired with a lapel that echoes the brand's distinctive "burnished leather" in the colors of the French flag.

Men will dress in matching tracksuit bottoms and sneakers, while women can choose to wear a wrap skirt and matching patent moccasins.

Team India: Tarun Tahiliani

Designer Tahiliani is renowned for his royal interpretation of traditional Indian attire, and he recently made waves at the Ambani wedding. He designed the traditional ensembles for Team India through his ready-to-wear brand Tasva.

For the opening ceremony, males will wear white kurtas topped with bundis, or sleeveless Nehru jackets, while women will wear white saris. Men's and women's borders are adorned with panels in green and orange, the three hues representing the tricolor flag of India.

According to Tasva's Instagram post, "The ceremonial dress is inspired by India's rich cultural heritage and the tricolour that will proudly represent our nation on the global stage."

Team USA: Ralph Lauren

The well-known American designer and his company are the official outfitters of Team USA for the seventh straight Olympic Games. Athletes can wear different clothes made by Lauren for the opening and closing ceremonies, as well as for use during and following the games.

The closing ceremony outfits are more athletic racecar-style jackets with USA patch design, whereas the opening ceremony appearances include a traditional blue Ralph Lauren blazer with red and white trim. The collection also makes extensive use of denim.

“David Lauren, the company's chief branding and innovation officer, told CNN that "we worked very hard and closely in hands with the athletes and with the Olympic Committee members to create this fascinating collection. We think this tells a story about America." "We want the athletes to feel like they are representing American leadership, sportsmanship, and culture when they go onto a worldwide platform.”

Team GB: Ben Sherman

The official Olympic outfitter for this year's competition is once again the UK heritage brand Ben Sherman, which was founded in 1963 and has outfitted the squad for both the 2016 and 2020 Olympics.

The closing ceremony ensemble is a flowery shirt worn with Oxford shorts and suede loafers, whereas the opening ceremony ensemble is a bomber-style jacket worn with an open-neck polo and Oxford pants. The four-nation floral theme, which has the English rose, Scottish thistle, Welsh daffodil, and Irish shamrock as symbols of each UK nation, is prominently included in both styles. 

Team Italy: EA7 Emporio Armani

Superstar of Italian fashion Giorgio Armani is once again creating pieces for Team Italy under his ready-to-wear EA7 Emporio Armani brand.

The kit, which was unveiled in June of last year during men's fashion week in Milan, comprises ensembles that, according to the company, "combine Armani DNA with the heart of Italian culture." One out of the ordinary detail is that first opening line of Italy's national hymn is imprinted on the jacket lining.

The nearly 90-year-old Armani stated, " I developed clothes that are both stylish and useful in order to set the team apart and give our players a strong feeling of identity." 

Team Canada: Lululemon

The Vancouver-based company claimed it worked with athletes competing in 14 different sports, including Olympic and Paralympic, to understand their demands before developing their first Summer Olympics uniform. Lightweight, cool-wicking materials with freshly developed pocket shapes and placements are characteristics of the set. Additionally, some of the equipment has sleeves and pants that can be taken off and turned into shorts.

The brand's rendition of the aurora borealis, one of the auroras, or natural light displays, occurring in the Northern Hemisphere, inspired the closing ceremony ensembles, The print-heavy aesthetic of the opening ceremony, however, drew inspiration from "nature, art, and architecture found throughout Canada." 

Team Mongolia: Michel&Amazonka

When Team Mongolia was originally revealed, their stylish attire created a stir on the internet, with acclaim going to their high-end finish and cultural representation.

The Ulaanbaatar-based brand was established in 2015 by sisters Michel and Amazonka Choigaalaa. They also provided clothing for Team Mongolia for the Tokyo Olympics. The company's designs are recognizable as being uniquely Mongolian.

The two designs created for each gender are dominated by traditional features such as baggy robes, embroidered vests, cone-shaped helmets, and guttal boots with upturned toes.