MILAN — Olympic fever is getting higher.
As sportswear brands begin to put their cards on the table and unveil the gear they’ve designed for national teams — including Nike’s uniforms for the U.S. athletes and Lululemon’s for Team Canada earlier this month — Berluti will officially unveil the uniforms that make up the for Team France to wear during the opening ceremonies of the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games on July 26 and August 28 respectively.
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The LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton-controlled brand, which chose the date for the unveiling as the 100-day countdown to the event began, was guided in the creative process by two key words: elegance and comfort. Within these boundaries, the brand worked on a concept that could immediately project both French sophistication and Made in Italy craftsmanship on a global scale.
“It is a unique opportunity for our group and one of our French maisons, Berluti, to dress the French athletes from head to toe for the opening ceremony. This is one of the most watched events in the world, often with several billion spectators around the world,” said Antoine Arnault, Chairman of Berluti and Head of Communications, Image and Environment at LVMH.
“A project like this comes once in a lifetime and I hope that those who see the outfits now, on July 26 or on August 28 for the Olympic and Paralympic opening ceremonies, will recognize all the passion and craftsmanship of the Berluti teams who “this special order of 1,500 outfits with the same care as if they were making a 100 percent custom suit and shoes,” he said.
Berluti’s ready-to-wear collection and merchandising director Vanessa Le Goff said the team had “carte blanche over the concept of the uniforms, as long as they were realized in a spirit of sustainability.”
“We have always thought about excellence, so of course all the fabrics are certified and the suppliers who produced the pieces are the same as we work with for our own collections,” says Le Goff, who describes the project as a “real moment of collective pride. ” for the company and its artisans.
For the occasion, the internal team collaborated with Carine Roitfeld, who suggested the tuxedo as a starting point for the designs, as for the first time the opening ceremony will take place not in a stadium but in the heart of the city. along the River Seine, at dusk. The festive atmosphere and daring logistics promise to provide an unmissable moment, with the event likely to be the largest ceremony in the history of the Games as it will be open to more than 300,000 ticket holders and many spectators, in addition to those who tune in at a distance from the rest of the world.
“This has obviously been an unprecedented project for me,” Roitfeld said of dressing the 1,500 athletes and coming up with outfits “worthy of such a historic moment.”
“I immediately opted for the tuxedo – a resolutely French garment – combined with the characteristic Berluti shawl collar with patina effect in the French national colors. All eyes will be on the athletes and coaches on the big day, so I hope they will feel stylish,” she added.
The tailoring choice was adapted in different versions to meet the demands of athletes and make them feel at ease. While male athletes will don a classic midnight blue wool tuxedo, female competitors will have a sleeveless option and the choice of wearing trousers or a silk wrap skirt.
Ditto for shoes, Berluti’s signature category, produced at the factory in Ferrara, Italy. For the occasion, the brand reworked the Lorenzo loafer, traditionally for men, to adapt it to women’s sizes. The lightweight model is made of supple leather and has an extra flexible sole. It comes in navy blue and finished with Berluti’s signature patina effect in black. Red stitching that stands out on the side is an extra detail, with the shade being exclusive to the athletes of the Games.
Women can choose between the Lorenzo loafer and the Shadow sneaker, which will also be the favorite option for male athletes. The sporty style was first introduced by Berluti’s former designer Kris Van Assche – whose four-year tenure ended in 2021 – at Arnault’s request. The sneaker has since become one of the brand’s biggest hits, thanks to its mesh upper, rubber sole and Venezia leather details on the heel and tongue.
In the version created exclusively for the Opening Ceremony, the style is presented in an all-navy blue design with black details. The upper is embroidered with the Berluti logo on the side and the inscription ‘Paris 2024’ on the ankle. But the key feature is the leather details, revisited here with a gradient effect blending the colors of the French flag.
The national bleu, blanc and rouge were reprized in many details to enrich the overall outfit. In addition to the shawl collars of jackets and cardigans, the colors also define pocket squares and scarves to tie around the neck. Leather straps with Berluti’s signature buckle were hand-painted to reproduce the same effect, which in its own way ties in nicely with the vague concept of the French team’s sports kits for the actual competitions, designed by the founder of Pigalle Paris, Stéphane Ashpool and supplied by Le Coq Sportif. .
Berluti’s outfits also made references to the French flag with subtle blue and red stitching on the eyelets of the white shirts or on the inside labels that read ‘Artisan of All Victories’, the slogan LVMH chose when signing up as a premium partner of the global sporting event. An additional label stitched onto the linings reiterates the role of the house’s artisans in the creation of the garments and their proximity to athletes.
“It is to show that we are extremely proud to dress our athletes and we want them to be extremely proud too,” said Le Goff, one of the 180 people involved in the project.
The enthusiasm was an additional motivation that allowed the rapid realization of the outfits, with the first sketches drawn in September and the final designs refined in November last year, thanks in part to a constant dialogue between Berluti and the athletes.
Le Goff said the top priority was to avoid fancy dress uniforms and make the delegations feel comfortable, as most athletes were “usually used to wearing sporty outfits, and they were a bit afraid to look like it.” like stiff, maybe.
The feedback the Berluti team received was crucial in determining style decisions, especially those of the Paralympic athletes. Firstly, the idea of opting for full or pleated skirts was dropped after realizing how impractical it could have been for athletes in wheelchairs, while original plans to offer the Lorenzo loafer in a mule version were scrapped after athletes with artificial limbs had found the original. style more comfortable due to the increased grip.
Former French fencer and Olympic gold medalist Brice Guyart was among those who facilitated these conversations due to his active role as part of the Games Committee, in addition to contributing his own experience.
“Usually you put the athlete in a uniform and that’s it. This time it is truly tailor-made: we will have touch-ups and fittings for each athlete until the last day, so that they can really feel good in the uniform,” said Guyart. “There may also be a lot of changes for the Paralympic Games, as some athletes may want their disabilities to be visible, while others may not want that. So [the outfit] is fully adjustable,” he added.
Guyart noted how this approach, combined with the handcrafted finish of the leather details, helps make each piece unique, making athletes feel extra special on such an occasion. He also highlighted how noble fabrics such as silk and wool were used in the outfits, making them different from the sportier and more technical equipment of the past or for other national teams.
“I remember my previous opening ceremonies – when I saw the American delegation, that was always me [positively stunned]”, Guyart recalls. “We will be more than usual because we are the host country and there will be a larger delegation, and to also be well dressed is very important for the trust and the impact we will have on others at that moment…There is a mental aspect: the first medals will be won during the opening ceremony,” he concludes.
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