An Olympic Grab Bag
Closing thoughts on the Fashion Games
Wow, was that fun! What a difference three years makes. It’s a shame Tokyo 202(1) had to happen under such reduced circumstances. One wonders if the Japanese might have rivaled the French in terms of style and trendsetting had they been able to fully express their vision. Despite all the grumbling from the Parisians in the build-up, the past two weeks demonstrated sports’ unique power to captivate the world. Perhaps there was some special alchemy inherent to the City of Love. What struck me in watching this Olympics is the way that sports allow athletes to express love – for their sport, for their teammates, for their countries. It’s hard not to get swept up in it.
From the Champs-Élysées to Hollywood, Los Angeles offers showbiz glamour and is fertile ground for celebrity cross-over.1 Expect to see more and different brands investing in the Games based on the buzz out of Paris and the opportunities in LA ( I’ve got a few ideas for them below.)
The final week of competition, solidified a lot of the trends I explored in my previous newsletter. So to put a bow on things (IFYKYK), here’s a rundown of what caught my eye (or ire) in week two.
Beautiful Inspiration – Two of the style statements I’ve loved the most from the Games are Trinity Rodman’s long pink braids and Rhashidat Adeleke’s perfect white bow. It seems their fans agree. I adore seeing these posts of little girls copying their icons. It shows how beauty can be a big part of athlete brand building.
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It seems the New York Times agrees with me because they dedicated vital space on Saturday’s front page to the salon in the Olympic Village. Andrew Keh interviewed athletes about their hair styling regimens and they all said essentially the same thing (grammar be damned): look good, play good, I liked this quote from Aphiwe Dimba, South Africa’s field hockey goalie: “I’m not going out there looking scrappy. It gives me more confidence after I get a cut. You never know who is taking your picture.”
Keeping Up Appearances – The uproar over gold-medal-winning Algerian boxer Imane Khelif, who was accused on social media of being transgender, only underscores the burden of presentation women especially women of color have in sports. Even as the Olympics reaches gender parity (finally in 2024!), sports remain a traditionally masculine space. Women athletes who don’t uphold outdated and traditional views of femininity risk being labeled as men. Is it any wonder, then, that many athletes seek to underscore their femininity with bows, makeup, and manicures? Sure, it’s a form of self-expression but it’s also a form of self-preservation.
All Eyes on the Marathon – I loved several things about the women’s Marathon. I loved that Paris upended the usual schedule to end with the women’s race instead of the men’s. And I loved that the course was based on the march the women of Paris made to Versailles in October 1789, fomenting the French Revolution. It was the perfect way to put a bow on an Olympics that showcased women not only equally, but at their best.
During the race, I spotted a few top women wearing some interesting headgear. Sifan Hassan and Hellen Obiri who took gold and bronze respectively wore cooling headbands. The technology, also donned by men’s silver medalist marathoner Bashir Abdi, plus Eliud Kiphcoge and medal-winning triathletes, is made by Omius. Per the company, the headband “uses thermally conductive and porous graphite to increase the evaporative surface area of the skin by as much as 7x. This amplifies the body's natural cooling mechanism and dramatically increases comfort and performance in hot conditions and during strenuous exercise.” It’s not the chicest piece of headgear, but these results suggest it’s working. Ultimately, performance always trumps style.
German Footballers in Pink – I missed this during the Euros, but the German men’s soccer team debuted a bold pink away kit by Adidas. While it drew some internet hate, it also became the fastest-selling away game jersey in team history. Designed to represent “the new generation of German football fans, as well as the diversity of the country,” I was glad to see the women competing in the pink jerseys too. What I love about Germany wearing (and selling!) the pink jerseys is the way that it flips the old notion of “pink it and shrink it” on its head.
Uniqlo for Sweden – I was curious how Uniqlo came to sponsor the Swedish Federation. Asics has a pretty tight grip on Japan, so it seems Uniqlo opted for the next best thing – connecting their minimalist aesthetic to Scandi style.“Swedish people and their culture prize beautiful, simple designs and modern lifestyles,” the COO of Uniqlo in Scandinavia told Vogue. I was excited to find out they offered some of the gear for sale online, though the Uniqlo x Sweden Athlete Collection is decidedly underwhelming compared to the athlete’s gear.
Men in (Speed)Suits – This newsletter’s focus is women’s sports and fashion, but I can’t help but call out this fun New York Times article by Scott Cacciola on the rise of the speedsuit in middle-distance running. What I love about the trend is that it’s entirely about fashion and not function. Basically, the Ingebrigtsen brothers “thought it looked cool.” I appreciated Henrik’s perspective on ye old look good feel good trope: “I think it makes you feel more like a superhero. There is this feeling of, ‘This is my outfit, and I’m here to conquer the world.’” That’s the thesis of this newsletter in a nutshell.
I’d be interested in a similar story on women and the one-piece and/or deep dive on 110m hurdler Grant Holloway’s choice to eschew the sprinter speed suit for a singlet and short shorts. But I can settle for getting this quote out of 1500m bronze medalist Yared Nuguse, who doesn’t partake in the speedsuit trend: “I think it’s a body-sensation thing,” said Nuguse, who specified that he does not particularly enjoy the feeling of “things touching my body.”
All Hail the Red Leg Sleeve – “Lynn Williams wore a red leg sleeve, so I wore a red leg sleeve.“ – Rose Lavelle (probably)
I tried to see if anyone had asked Lynn Williams and Rose Lavelle of Team USA soccer about their choice to wear a single red leg sleeve, but couldn’t find much. The internet seems divided on whether Williams is wearing hers to due a previous hamstring injury or as a fashion statement. I’m going to go with the latter ;)
Nailed It - In case you were wondering about the nail tech who did Sha’Carri Richardson’s epic design. It’s Angie Aguirre, who also works with Angel Reese. I liked this insight on the challenge of keeping them attached during competitions: “I send her a note like, ‘hey, put a lot of glue on these, because if you win a medal, I need you to hold the medal with not one nail missing! Why did you have to win a gold medal in Budapest and you’re holding it and you have two nails missing?’ And her coach is like, ‘you’re the one who does the nails? Can you figure out a way to not have them things fall off?’ ”
Artistic Swimming is Hard on So Many Levels: I’ll admit I didn’t watch a lot of artistic swimming. My attention was entirely on the track. That’s why I appreciated this story by Sarah Lyall from the Times2 on the discipline, which takes presentation to the next level. “It’s not enough to be good — you have to look perfect in your face, in your makeup, in your body. And you have to look happy the whole time, even when people are kicking you under the water. We might be smiling, but actually we’re acting,” Mexico’s Nuria Diosdado told Lyall. It takes her two hours(!) to get ready for a competition.
If you, like me, have questions about how they do their hair and makeup so it stays put underwater, Team USA’s Daniella Ramirez has you covered:
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Even Gold Medalists Get Superstitious: Some athletes (cough Rafael Nadal cough) are obvious with their superstitions, some are less so. Still, most athletes have a lucky charm or routine. I liked that Suni Lee was brave enough to “reverse the curse” on red leos during her All-Around competition.
Free Ideas
Figs won the Games for best, unexpected brand sponsorship. Not only did they outfit the Team USA medical staff (which previously had no sponsor) they also ran a “Heart of the Moment” campaign on NBC and Peacock, in which parents of athletes donned heart rate monitors during their events. Inspired by a conversation I had with the team at Future Commerce, here are a few novel ways I think brands could activate for 2028:
Reality TV: The new women’s soccer reality show, Off Season FC, following NWSL athletes during pre-season, sounds stellar. Netflix has to try and film something in the Olympic Village for LA 2028, right? Or maybe Peacock could continue their hot streak. They should get Ilona Maher to host a version of Love Island that’s all elite athletes. The twist: they’d have to decide whether to couple up based on attraction or athleticism since they’d also be competing as a couple in real feats of fitness. You’re welcome.
Dyson Airwrap & Merit: Let’s get a Dyson station for swimmers to do a quick blow-dry before the medal ceremony. While we’re at it, Merit should bring their Five Minute Morning concept to the Games, helping medalists with a quick touch-up before they take the podium. As the gymnasts demonstrated, athletes are doing it on their own, so I expect brands will take note.
Blue Cross Blue Shield (or really any medical insurer): Team USA rugby athlete Ariana Ramsey went viral for visiting all the healthcare providers at the Village because they offered free care. You’d be surprised how many Olympic athletes are uninsured. In track and field, you have to get something like 12th or better in the world to earn insurance for the following year. Imagine if Blue Cross Blue Shield stepped up to cover all the U.S. Olympians for LA?
Warby Parker: Pommel horse guy gave glasses a major moment at the Games. But he wasn’t the only one. I spotted France’s Louise Maraval rocking a chic pair of round frames during the 400m hurdles. But shockingly, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone is out there setting world records without her glasses. She told GQ that she doesn’t see the hurdles very well because she can’t wear contacts. Warby Parker or Article One, get on this!
@gqsportsImagine being the Olympic hurdling GOAT while not even being able to see the hurdles #paris #olympics #trackandfield #hurdles #sydneymclaughlin
Notes from the Closing Ceremony
I wish I could say I watched the Closing Ceremony, but outside of the Spice Girls reuniting, there’s something unsatisfying about the denouement to the Games. I caught the highlights on social media and have a few thoughts:
Netherland’s Sifan Hassan was already a legend for completing her insane triple, winning gold in the marathon and bronze in the 5k and 10k. She doubled down on her legend status by donning a hijab during the final medal ceremony – a not-so-subtle protest against France banning head scarves for its athletes.
There’s not much I can say about the Team USA’s closing ceremony looks other than I hated them. I appreciated the gold medal-winning soccer players attempting to salvage the look by turning their polos into crop tops and wearing the jacket around their waists.
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Enable 3rd party cookies or use another browserI liked Canada’s Lululemon gear throughout the Games, and they finished on a strong note with a cool matching set. The internet’s favorite stylist, Allison Bornstein, would call this look: Surfer Nephew.
Things I Saved on Social
I did the scrolling so you don’t have to.
Citius Mag had the scoop on Parker Valby’s pre-race nail saga.
Thanks to Vogue for getting the 411 on Anna Cockrell’s and Tara Davis-Woodhall’s track jewelry. Jumping in a Rolex is a flex.
The FT covered Distance, a French running store delivering a certain je ne sai quoi to its customers.
The Guardian flagged wrap-around sunglasses as a major trend in Paris, hilariously including Princess Anne as an example of the style’s reach. I’d argue if anyone is impervious to trends, it’s the Princess Royal.
100m hurdles gold medalist Masai Russell dropped her pre-race makeup routine on TikTok. I loved that she wore waist beads, like TeeTee Terry, for her races.
I liked Glossier’s OOH campaign tagline in Paris: “Beauty has a place in sports because women have a place in sports.”
Malique Morris of Business of Fashion explores opportunities for LA 2028 in his recent article: Fashion Triumphs and Missed Opportunities at the Paris Olympics.
If you needed any more evidence that sports and fashion are now firmly entwined, the fact I included three separate stories from the New York Times on the subject should rest my case. Though I’m going to maintain I got here first ;)