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Paris Olympics: Mongolia team’s ‘insane uniform’ rated hands down most beautiful at Games
Paris Olympics: Mongolia team’s ‘insane uniform’ rated hands down most beautiful at Games
- Public and Olympians praise the ‘blend of beauty and tradition’, with one saying the country should be given the gold for best outfit
From the ugliest to the most stylish, the cheapest to the most innovative, Olympic uniforms have run the gamut – and two Mongolian designers may have come up with the most beautiful attire in Paris.
Social media users and Olympians alike have praised the look, with one suggesting the country should be given the gold medal for best outfit “right now”.
Designed by Mongolian fashion brand Michel&Amazonka, the country’s 32 athletes will wear the intricate outfits during the Games’ opening and closing ceremonies in the French capital.
Dubbed a “blend of beauty and tradition”, the designs incorporate both Olympic and national symbols including the Nine White Banners, the Olympic torch and the 2024 Olympic emblem.
Representations of the sun, moon and the Gua-Maral – a “beautiful doe” in Mongolian mythology – are embroidered with golden thread on the uniforms.
“This is what they need at Versace, LV (Louis Vitton) or other big brands,” one social media user said.
People applauded Mongolia for endorsing the stunning uniforms – claiming the design put other nations’ uncreative, uninspiring outfits to shame.
Ornate designs will embellish loose-fitting robes, vests and cone-shaped hats featuring 32 stitches, symbolising the unity of the 32 tribes, and Mongolian boots, or “Gutals”, constructed with upturned toes. Women will accessorise with earrings and handbags as well.
Former Olympian and four-time gold medallist Michael Johnson took to social media to praise Team Mongolia’s outfits.
Michel&Amazonka, a home-grown label based in Ulaanbaatar, is hailed for its ability to weave Mongolian cultural and traditional motifs with modern aesthetics in couture and ready-to-wear collections. Established by three sisters – Michel, Amazonka and CEO Munkhjargal Choigaalaa – in 2015, the company also designed Team Mongolia’s outfits for the 2022 Beijing Winter Games.
However, the apparel – which extend from head to toe – has faced criticism for its impracticality in the summer heat. Paris’ heat – which will range from 15 to 25 degrees Celsius (59 to 77 Fahrenheit) during the Games – may prove too stifling for an intricate full-body outfit.
Such criticism, however, has not been enough to dampen the overwhelming enthusiasm and marvel over the uniforms.
Unveiling their uniforms shortly after that of other Asian countries, Mongolia will take centre stage with a blend of exquisite design and detailing, all while celebrating cultural roots.
“Team Malaysia, are you taking notes?” one person wrote.
Team Mongolia, in their stand-out runway pieces, should have little competition in the opening ceremony on the Seine River on July 26.
“Team Mongolia, 10 out of 10, no notes needed,” said one TikTok user, who compared nine country’s outfits. “As a matter of fact, give Michel and Amazonka a raise right now.”
