The Outfit Olympics

There's a bonus—and better—Paris Fashion Week taking place this summer

Jul 24, 2024

The Paris Olympic & Paralympic Games are nearly upon us, bringing with them the sweet summer promise of nonstop sporting storylines, new household names, and an allegedly sewage-less River Seine. But the Games don’t only guarantee world-class feats of athleticism, they also assure us of a bonus Paris Fashion Week—and with luxury titan LVMH as the Games’ premium partner, this statement is hardly hyperbole.

Since the conglomerate announced its role in this year’s Games more than a year ago, they have made it their mission to turn the sporting festivities into a style spectacle. Its most iconic Maisons have snatched up the symbolism of the Olympics via sponsorship; Berluti is outfitting Team France for Friday’s opening ceremonies, Chaumet’s jewelry is saying au dieu to the Place Vendôme in favor of outfitting those on the winner’s podium, and Louis Vuitton is producing the very uniforms, medal trays, and trunks to deliver those aforementioned Chaumet medals.

And while LVMH’s legacy houses might be the primary patrons of what has been dubbed the “Luxury Olympics,” they are certainly not the only big names in fashion to capitalize on this cultural moment. Simon Porte Jacquemus teamed up with Nike for his directorial debut, lensing a dual celebration of the Olympics arriving in his beloved Paris and his latest collection in collaboration with the athletic brand. Beauty brands such as Fenty, Glossier, and Clinique are all set to have a presence at the Games, and of course, Kim Kardashian can’t stay away from an opportunity to strip sports stars down to their skivvies.

Luxury fashion’s mark on this year’s Games is unprecedented, but certainly not unpredictable. “Athletes and sports today convey values of excellence, passion, and high standards, which echo those of our craftsmen,” LVMH’s Antoine Arnault told Women’s Wear Daily. He also emphasized the sociocultural capital of sports’ biggest stars and how any branding strategy would be remiss to ignore their impact— “Just look at Instagram, where the two top accounts belong to Cristiano Ronaldo and Leo Messi. Between them, they have more than a billion followers.”

Considering that the last iteration of the Summer Olympics amassed a global audience of approximately 3.05 billion, it’s not a stretch to say that this year’s Games might just be this year’s most talked about runway show. As we all turn our eyes to Paris, here’s a look at some of the Olympic uniforms that are certain to stand out against the backdrop of the Seine.

Czechia
Opening ceremony uniform designed by JAN SOCIÉTÉ