Fashion giants like Nike and Ralph Lauren have long dressed members of Olympic teams. More and more small brands are now joining the world stage through unified trading.
Sustainable skate shoe brand Kalima designed its first Olympic uniforms this year, supplying its shoes and apparel to skateboarders in three countries. Meanwhile, premium active swimwear brand Left On Her Friday will make its Olympic uniform debut with a selection of bikinis, cover-ups and accessories from the Canadian women's beach volleyball team. Swedish clothing company J. Lindeberg is also producing this year's uniforms for the U.S. men's and women's golf teams, as well as uniforms for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
The Olympics are essentially a competition. After all, that's the whole point of this event. But when it comes to brand expression through uniforms, the playing field is leveled anew. While big brands like The North Face are at the heart of this year's competition, with American outdoor brands creating mountaineering uniforms for the US, Japan, South Korea and Austria, some countries have They are choosing to work with more local brands rather than large corporations. .
For example, what remained on Friday was a Canadian brand designed for the Canadian team, and Paris-based streetwear designer Stéphane Ashpool designs for the French Olympic team. Meanwhile, other countries are turning to brands in the sports niche because they know that brand has the technical know-how for what athletes need.
Brian Quarles, chief creative officer at sports marketing company Revolution, told Modern Retail: “The Olympics are about performance, and the athletes who make it to the podium are the ones who perform the best.” “So if a uniform can help you get an edge in performance and win medals, that says something about the product. “This is the most elite-level product in existence. ” because the Olympics are the standard. ”
Designing for the Olympics is a highly regulated process. The Olympics has a page with rules regarding apparel manufacturer ID, logo placement, and color schemes. For many brands, this opportunity is a dream come true, even if there are hurdles. Like the Super Bowl and World Cup, the Olympics are a great opportunity for exposure and brand building. More than 3 billion people watched the 2020 Tokyo Olympics in 2021, and that number is expected to increase even more this year. As of early April, NBC had sold a record $1.2 billion in advertising for the 2024 Olympics.
Caroline Ryan, vice president of brand marketing at Excel Sports Management, told Modern Retail that the Olympics “reach on this scale is not offered by any other high-profile sporting event in the world.” “Giving smaller brands a chance to participate in the Olympics and be part of the conversation around the Olympics without having to invest hundreds of millions of dollars like Olympic sponsors are paying is just the most incredible opportunity… Previous was really unavailable.”
This year's Olympics will be held in Paris, the fashion capital of the world. This will give luxury brands such as LVMH and Prada a strong presence at the tournament. But as host city, Paris is an ideal place to attract smaller brands, Ryan said. “When I think of Paris, I think of big designer houses,” she said. “And of course they will participate…but I think it's genius to have both high-end fashion brands and small brands participate. And as a small brand, I think they'll participate in the Olympics if they get a chance.” I think the opportunity is too great not to do it.”
Athletes are in the spotlight during Olympic competition, and when those athletes wear a particular logo, these companies, no matter their size, can instantly reach them. Karyuma knows that firsthand. In the case of Tokyo, we sponsored three skateboarders. Although the brand provided skaters with shoes rather than uniforms, Kariuma saw its biggest spike in searches for the brand during the event. Knowing that, “it was very clear to us what would happen if we put our name on the chest of some of our athletes, along with their logo, their name, their shoes, and their formal attire,” says Kariuma. co-founder Fernando Porto told Modern Retail. .
Karyuma also sees its participation in the Olympics as part of a larger expansion. For example, the brand is based in Brazil, but plans to partner with local retailers in Australia, Japan, and the Middle East in the coming months. In line with the Olympics,[the goal is] It's about really expanding the brand's reach around the world, and it's really authentic to the brand, it's in perfect harmony with our lifestyle, it really strengthens our positioning, it really enhances our space. It's about really expanding the brand's reach in a way that's very in tune with the brand,” Porto said.
Left on Friday previously tested its products on Olympic swimmers and sponsored the Canadian women's beach volleyball team for two years. Lululemon did not create the team's official uniforms, but when Lululemon transitioned to sponsoring Team Canada as a whole in 2022, Left on Friday became specifically involved in beach volleyball. Both founders, who launched the business in 2017, are Lululemon alumni.
The Olympic uniforms left on Friday are one-shoulder, giving athletes a greater range of motion. However, because the silhouette was moved to where the text is on the uniform, Left on Friday needed special permission from the International Olympic Committee. Founders Laura Lo Ah Kee and Shannon Savage said the IOC had never received a request for a one-shoulder suit. Left-fielders on Friday were also allowed to change which shoulder they wear the strap on, depending on whether the player is right-handed or left-handed.
With the Olympic uniforms, “there's an awareness drive, there's a product testing drive, and then there's something we're trying to solve,” Lo Ah Kee told Modern Retail. . “From day one, it's all bikini tops, swim tops, sports bras, T-shirt bras.”
Ultimately, big brands will continue to have a presence at the Olympics, but who gets on the podium is changing. “You can't beat Nike,” Quarles said. “You can't beat Adidas. They have much higher recognition and a much bigger budget, but the brand can show an authentic presence. [at the Olympics]”
