Sports and Fashion Shine at the 2024 Paris Olympics

Fashion expert explains why the race for Best Dressed may be the most interesting competition of all

July 23, 2024
Three gold medals from 2024, 2023 and 2022

(Credit: DNY59 / Collection: iStock / Getty Images Plus)

Contact: Kelly Craine, 254-297-9065
Follow us on Twitter: @BaylorUMedia

As the world eagerly anticipates the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, the fashion scene is buzzing with excitement over the latest team fashion trends set to make a statement to the world.

Lorynn Divita, associate professor of apparel design and merchandising at Baylor University

From the team uniforms in the opening ceremonies to the competitive athletic wear, Lorynn Divita, Ph.D., associate  professor of apparel design and merchandising at Baylor University, has focused her attention on how contemporary fashion designs meet high-performance athletic requirements on a global stage.

“Olympic fashion has become more, well, fashionable in recent years,” Divita said. “If we look back at opening ceremonies from 50 years ago, the athletes looked like they were wearing uniforms similar to flight attendants, or they would be wearing uniforms that had a costume-like appearance. Today, in addition to being comfortable, in many cases the uniforms are indistinguishable from street fashion.”

Fashion Olympics 

Divita said expect to see uniforms from well-known designers and fashion brands. The Olympics provide an excellent opportunity – and ultimate stage – for designers to put their brand in front of an international audience and show off their skills to people who are not typically fashion consumers.

“It’s a fun challenge for designers who have to merge functionality with aesthetics and patriotic symbolism,” Divita noted. “Clearly they get a great deal out of it, as the list of well-known fashion designers at the parade of nations rivals any fashion week.”

Divita's Three Teams to Watch

1. Team USA

Ralph Lauren returns for the ninth time to design Team USA’s opening ceremony team uniforms, offering traditional blazers and jackets in classic navy with red-and-white trim.

2. Team France

Team France has enlisted the help of three designers: Berluti, who created the opening ceremony uniforms; Stéphane Ashpool, who took on the Olympic village outfits; and Kenzo, who designed the kimono-inspired suit for France’s Judo team.

3. Team Mongolia

Of all the teams to watch, Divita said keep your eye on Team Mongolia.

“This is the team to watch for in the Parade of Nations,” Divita said. “Team Mongolia is predicted to win fashion gold with uniforms inspired by traditional dress from Ulaanbaatar-based fashion label Michel & Amazonka.”

ABOUT LORYNN DIVITA, PH.D.

Lorynn Divita, Ph.D., associate professor of apparel design and merchandising at Baylor University, focuses her fashion expertise and research on fashion forecasting, the influence of contemporary culture on trend contagion, and other textile, apparel and retailing industry topics. Divita is the U.S. editor of the Bloomsbury Fashion Business Case Studies series and the author of the textbook, Fashion Forecasting (Bloomsbury). Her publications have appeared in academic journals, including the Journal of the Textile Institute, Journal of Fashion Marketing and Management, and Clothing Cultures published in England; Clothing and Textiles Research Journal and Journal of Textile and Apparel Technology and Management, published in the U.S.; and International Journal of Costume and Fashion, published in Korea.

ABOUT ROBBINS COLLEGE OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SCIENCES AT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY

The Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences at Baylor University seeks to prepare leaders in health and quality of life through science, scholarship and innovation. Together, the departments housed within the Robbins College – Communication Sciences and Disorders; Health, Human Performance and Recreation; Human Sciences and Design; Occupational Therapy; Physical Therapy; Public Health; and a number of Army-Baylor graduate programs – promote a team-based approach to transformational education and research, establishing interdisciplinary research collaborations to advance solutions for improving quality of life for individuals, families and communities. For more information, visit the Robbins College website.

ABOUT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY

Baylor University is a private Christian University and a nationally ranked Research 1 institution. The University provides a vibrant campus community for more than 20,000 students by blending interdisciplinary research with an international reputation for educational excellence and a faculty commitment to teaching and scholarship. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas through the efforts of Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest continually operating University in Texas. Located in Waco, Baylor welcomes students from all 50 states and more than 100 countries to study a broad range of degrees among its 12 nationally recognized academic divisions.