The City of Lights is about to shine brighter than the lighthouse of the Eiffel Tower, so put on your beret and break up the cheerful atmosphere. The 2024 Paris Olympics is not only a stage for athletic competition, but also a style runway for French fashion houses to flex their creative muscles.
The posters for the Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games, carefully created by French illustrator Ugo Gattoni, have become a hot topic. Known for his incredibly detailed artwork, Gattoni, who has previously collaborated with Hermès, took four months, or 2,000 hours, to complete this hand-painted masterpiece.
These labors of love have become collector’s items, adorning both the digital and physical spaces of the Olympic world. The posters feature famous Paris landmarks, 47 Olympic and Paralympic sports, and thousands of people.
LVMH Group is doing everything in its power to make the Paris Olympics a fashion extravaganza. With a sponsorship deal worth €150 million, 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. Not only does it feature the fashion house’s iconic checkered exterior, it also boasts an artfully designed interior. The bottom and lid have precisely made circular inserts to hold the torch securely in place.
The medal case is also made by Louis Vuitton. They designed a large trunk suitcase wrapped in monogrammed canvas and secured with a brass lock. It can store 468 medals.
The Olympic medals were created by jewelery designer Chaumet. This unique design uses a hexagonal piece of raw iron taken from a sheet of steel during the Eiffel Tower’s renovation as the centerpiece of each gold, silver and bronze medal. This allows athletes to take home the real “Paris”.
The Olympic medal depicts the goddess of victory, the Paralympic medal depicts a view of the Eiffel Tower from the bottom upwards, and in Braille it is written in honor of the French inventor of Braille, Louis Braille. 2024″ is engraved on it.
Berluti’s ceremonial dress design for the French athlete exudes elegance and style in every detail, from the clothing to the footwear.
While luxury brands are in charge of the diplomatic side of the Olympics, the creativity inside the stadium is left to French streetwear brands. The French team’s athletic apparel is a collaboration between up-and-coming streetwear brand Pigalle and venerable Le Coq Sportif. Pigalle, led by founder and head designer Stéphane Ashpool, was in charge of the design, and Le Coq Sportif managed production.
Ashpool chose “Retro Sports” as its design theme and utilized the tricolor of the French flag to combine classic beauty with minimalist fashion. Each piece of sports apparel reflects this theme, with red, white and blue subtly woven across the front.
On the collar and chest, the red and blue fade outwards to a bright white center. This design makes the medal more visible when the athlete steps onto the podium.
To add an elegant touch to the predominantly white uniforms, Ashpool borrowed the expertise of Chanel’s Lesage workshop to create handmade embroidery on each garment. This collaboration ensures that every item not only meets functional requirements, but also exhibits a unique and sophisticated flair.
Collaborations between luxury brands and sporting events have a long history. Rolex sponsors Formula One teams, golf tournaments, and tennis matches. Watch brands such as Tudor and Panerai sponsor sailing and other water sports. Dior, Fendi and Moncler have partnered with soccer teams, while Gucci, Burberry and Loewe have signed top athletes.
Events like the Olympics provide great marketing opportunities for brands. Industry insiders say the return on marketing investment during the Olympics is three times higher than normal. In past Olympics, major brands such as Lululemon, Ralph Lauren, Prada, and Giorgio Armani have designed the national team’s uniforms, which have always garnered a lot of buzz and media attention.
LVMH’s bold move to sponsor the Paris Olympics for 150 million euros has generated as much buzz as the 100-meter race gun. In 2023, the group reported sales of 86.2 billion euros, net profit of 15.2 billion euros, and spent 9.5 billion euros on advertising and marketing. Market analysts are betting big on the group’s strategy, predicting a significant increase in brand awareness and consumer appeal.
With the world’s attention on Paris, LVMH is trying to make a splash, especially in the lucrative Asian market where its customer numbers are rapidly increasing. Industry experts believe that LVMH’s official sponsorship of the Paris Olympics will deepen its ties to French culture and differentiate it from its competitors.
