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Combining period fashion, functionality and elements of national pride, Australia’s Olympic Games opening ceremony uniforms capture moments in time.
Each time, the presentation of the suits becomes a spectacle in itself, with sports and fashion fans eagerly waiting to see what their country’s best athletes will wear when they enter the main arena.
The Australian team kit for the Paris 2024 Games was unveiled this morning in Clovelly, Sydney.
The competition uniforms were revealed earlier this year.
The emphasis on fashion will be greater than ever this year as Olympic athletes head to the fashion capital of the world.
“With a global television audience of more than one billion people watching the Opening Ceremony, the Australian team will wear a uniform inspired by the unmistakable essence of Paris, with fashion at the forefront,” read a statement.
It’s the 10th time Australian brand Sportscraft has designed the kits, and Dunlop Volleys return as official footwear.
Without a doubt, as in previous years, the uniforms will generate mixed opinions.
These are some of the most memorable outfits from the last few decades.
Striped power-dressing in Rio
The Olympic Committee at the time described the Rio 2016 Olympics opening ceremony attire as reflecting “Australian heritage and lifestyle” that were appropriate for the climate and “festive spirit of the host city.” river”.
Mint striped seersucker cotton blazers were the main feature of the outfit, which included a unique lining on the inside of the jacket with each athlete’s name.
It was a lighter and fresher update, giving off nautical and preppy vibes with white pants and boat shoes to finish off the look.
It received mixed reviews at the time, with fashion publication GQ writing that the outfit was similar to what a “standard yacht crew” might wear.
Corporate dress code in Beijing
While Australia’s opening ceremony uniforms have consistently featured shades of green and gold in recent games, that hasn’t always been the case.
In 2008, the opening ceremony uniform was a navy blue suit with blue ties for male athletes and blue neckerchiefs for female athletes.
The black peep-toe heels and tight pencil skirts were from the early 2000s.
The set, once again designed by Sportscraft, even included a small metallic silver athlete bag.
Celebrating flora and fauna in Los Angeles
One of Australia’s most kitsch uniforms was the yellow Australian animal blouse and skirt worn at the opening ceremony of the 1984 Games in Los Angeles.
Australian fashion designer Prue Acton devised the outfit which consisted of a feathered Akubra hat, skirt, top, belt, necklace and shoes.
The top showed a mother and baby koala in a tree, and the skirt showed a kangaroo in an Australian landscape.
The male uniform was a bright yellow jacket with beige chinos and a white shirt also topped with an Akubra.
It really doesn’t get any more Australian than that.
Sport in Athens
In 2004, the designers of Australia’s opening ceremony uniform took a more relaxed and sporty approach.
The uniform was also more unisex, with both men and women wearing gray pants, white shirts, and green star-print bomber jackets.
Bright flowers in Barcelona
The 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona featured one of Australia’s most extravagant opening ceremony looks.
The men and women on the team each wore a variation of a short-sleeved T-shirt featuring red, blue, yellow and white Australian wildflowers.
In a style very popular at the time, women wore green skorts and sandals, while men wore dark green tailored shorts with brown shoes and long socks.
The look was completed with a wide-brimmed straw hat.
Geometric green and gold for Tokyo
With Tokyo’s summer humidity in mind, designer Sportscraft’s main goal for the 2020 opening ceremony was to ensure athletes were comfortable.
The design was inspired by the “electric lights, vibrant colors and bustling atmosphere synonymous with Tokyo.”
The angles used in the designs were inspired by the famous Shibuya Crossing intersection in Japan, along with elements of the Southern Cross.
‘Youthful’ style in Sydney
When designing the Australian Olympic team’s uniform for the Sydney 2000 opening ceremony, Woolmark Company and Mambo were inspired by the landscape and culture of Australia.
As the average age of the Australian Olympic team was 22, the designers wanted to ensure the look was youthful.
The result was a short ocher jacket, a short-sleeved yellow checkered shirt and a green skirt or pants.
The uniform was modified for the closing ceremony to include a Mambo t-shirt with the Suburbia design, by Lachlan Barbard.
Green blazers in London
Blazers with the Australian crest were a fixture on opening ceremony uniforms during the 2010s.
In London in 2012, Australians wore a jacket over a white shirt and tailored white shorts or trousers.
The jacket was green cotton with navy and gold details, lined with fabric that listed previous gold medalists.
2012 was also the first year that the Olympic team announced the uniforms before the ceremony took place.
“We first announced the uniforms to them before the opening ceremony,” Olympic rower Nick Green said at the time.
“It’s historic. We know London will be historic. I think today is a big historic event.
The look was completed with a pair of white Dunlop Volleys.