French fashion joins the Olympic party

Grab your berets and break out the bubbly, as the City of Light is about to shine brighter than the Eiffel Tower's beacon. The 2024 Paris Olympics have not only been a stage for athletic prowess, but also a runway of style as French fashion houses flex their creative muscles.

The meticulously crafted posters for the Paris Olympics and Paralympics by French illustrator Ugo Gattoni have been the talk of the town. Known for his stunningly detailed artworks, Gattoni, who has previously collaborated with Hermès, created this hand-drawn masterpiece that took four months, or 2,000 hours, to complete.

These labor-of-love pieces have become collector's items, adorning both the digital and physical spaces of the Olympic world. The posters feature famous Paris landmarks, the 47 events of both the Olympics and Paralympics, and thousands of individual figures.

LVMH Group is pulling out all the stops to make the Paris Olympics a fashion extravaganza. With a sponsorship deal worth a cool 150 million euros, the French conglomerate is ensuring that every sprint, dive, and vault is as stylish as it is competitive.

Louis Vuitton has custom-designed a special edition case for the Olympic torch. It not only features the fashion house's iconic checkered exterior, but also boasts a cleverly designed interior – the bottom and lid have precisely crafted circular inserts to securely hold the torch in place.

The medal cases are also from Louis Vuitton. They have designed a large trunk suitcase, wrapped in monogram canvas and secured with brass locks. It's capable of holding 468 medals.

The Olympic medals are crafted by jewelry designer Chaumet. In this unique design, each gold, silver, and bronze medal features a hexagonal piece of raw iron at its core, saved from the iron sheets during the renovation of the Eiffel Tower. This allows athletes to take home a piece of authentic "Paris."

The Olympic medals depict the goddess of victory, while the Paralympic medals feature an upward view from beneath the Eiffel Tower, inscribed with "Paris 2024" in Braille, honoring the French inventor of Braille, Louis Braille.

Berluti's design of the ceremonial dress for French athletes, from clothing to footwear, exudes elegance and style in every detail.

While luxury brands handle the diplomatic aspects of the Olympics, the creativity within the stadium is left to French streetwear labels. The French team's athletic apparel is a collaborative effort between the up-and-coming streetwear brand Pigalle and the established Le Coq Sportif. Pigalle, led by its founder and head designer Stéphane Ashpool, took charge of the design, while Le Coq Sportif managed production.

Ashpool chose "retro sports" as the design theme, utilizing the tricolor of the French flag to blend classic beauty with minimalist fashion. Each piece of athletic apparel reflects this theme, with red, white, and blue subtly interwoven on the front.

For the collar and chest areas, red and blue fade outward, leaving a bright white center. This design ensures that the medals stand out prominently when athletes are on the podium.

To add a touch of elegance to predominantly white uniforms, Ashpool enlisted the expertise of Chanel's Lesage workshop to create handmade embroidery for each garment. This collaboration ensures that every piece not only meets functional requirements but also shows a distinctive and sophisticated flair.

The collaboration between luxury brands and sports events has a long history. Rolex sponsors F1 teams, golf tournaments, and tennis matches. Watch brands like Tudor and Panerai sponsor sailing and other marine sports. Dior, Fendi, and Moncler have partnered with football teams, while Gucci, Burberry, and Loewe have signed top athletes.

Events like the Olympics provide prime marketing opportunities for brands. Industry insiders say that the return on investment for marketing during the Olympics is three times higher than usual. In past Olympics, major brands like Lululemon, Ralph Lauren, Prada, and Giorgio Armani have designed uniforms for their national teams, consistently generating significant buzz and media attention.

LVMH's bold move to sponsor the Paris Olympics with 150 million euros has generated as much buzz as the starting gun at a 100-meter dash. The group reported 86.2 billion euros in revenue and net profits of 15.2 billion euros in 2023, with 9.5 billion euros spent on advertising and marketing. Market analysts are betting big on the group's strategy, predicting a significant boost in brand recognition and consumer appeal.

With the eyes of the world on Paris, LVMH is poised to soak up some of the attention, especially in the lucrative Asian market, where customer numbers are soaring. Industry experts believe that by officially sponsoring the Paris Olympics, LVMH will deepen its association with French culture and distinguish itself from competitors.