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Olympic seams

How young Kiwis would dress our athletes

With Covid dictating the rules of engagement, the Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo have shed much of their usual character. There are no spectators. Those who can attend, cannot cheer. But even masked, socially distant and silent, one Olympic tradition can still make some noise: what the athletes wear.

The opening ceremony plays an important role for the host country. For Japan, it’s a chance to send the world a message – one of resilience and recovery from the 2011 earthquake, tsunami and subsequent nuclear disaster; although complicated by the ongoing pandemic.

Participants from around the world are presented with an opportunity, as well, to put their best fashion foot forward (for better or for worse).

Many countries partner with some of their most iconic brands: the United States and Ralph Lauren, Italy and Giorgio Armani, France and Lacoste.

Since 2009, the New Zealand Olympic Committee has partnered with the international sportswear brand Peak to produce their official apparel, featuring collaborations with Kiwi designers over the years. Their latest creations debuted at Friday’s opening ceremony.

But fans, at home and abroad, have not always cheered the New Zealand team’s style. Their 2018 PyeongChang opening ceremony look earned the title ‘‘Least Imaginative Team Wear’’, among others. Yes, the colour black is iconic to New

Zealand sport, but on the world stage, before hundreds of millions of viewers, this is a chance to really go big and make a statement.

We asked four up-and-coming fashion designers to share how they’d approach the challenge, if given the chance.

Sport

en-nz

2021-07-24T07:00:00.0000000Z

2021-07-24T07:00:00.0000000Z

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