The Olympics are best known as a moment for the world’s most elite athletes to demonstrate their physical prowess on the world stage. But, for a handful of apparel brands, the Games are also one of the most coveted advertising moments of the year.
This year, teams at the Milan Cortina Games will be outfitted in plenty of the usual activewear suspects, including Adidas, Nike, and Asics. Team USA will once again appear in preppy, ultra-Americana-inspired looks designed by Ralph Lauren, which has exclusively partnered with the team since 2008.
The terms of this deal are unclear, but it’s likely an intensely expensive (and lucrative) undertaking for Ralph Lauren that would be financially inaccessible to smaller brands. The result is that Team USA’s Olympic garb has looked safe at best and stale at worst for the past several years (recall the widely panned skinny jeans and blazer combo worn in 2021).
But while big brands remain the most visible apparel players at the Olympics, some of this year’s most stand-out garments come from smaller designers. Here are three of the collaborations to look out for:
Team Mongolia x Goyol Cashmere
Before the Games have even begun, there’s already a clear fan favorite for the best-dressed team. Team Mongolia’s ceremonial outfits have taken off on X, where commenters are praising the garments for their couture quality; while the uniform’s official announcement post has accrued more than 100,000 likes.
Mongolian athletes will be sporting garments made by the brand Goyol Cashmere, which has produced both a line of casual ski sweaters and a stunning collection of ceremonial uniforms. The sweater line pulls inspiration from Western après-ski aesthetics, mixed with references to the Mongolian nomadic life, including imagery of a ger (one-man tent), sheep pens, and a horse.
The ceremonial uniforms are Goyol’s take on the Mongolian deel, which is a traditional robe-like garment. A navy color palette makes up the base of the uniforms, accented by pops of light blue, gold, and red. In an email to Fast Company, the Goyol team said that the uniforms are inspired by the Great Mongol Empire of the 13th through 15th centuries, one of “the most powerful periods of our nation’s history.”
Traditional elements woven throughout the uniforms include a functional skirt slit for ease of movement, a raised collar to protect against the wind and cold, silk trimmings embroidered with horn motifs, and a fully closed overlapping front, which represents “warmth, unity, and protection.”
This is Goyol’s first time outfitting the Olympic team, and, according to the designers, “It has truly been incredible to see the outpouring of positive feedback online.”
They added, “Our team is deeply honored and grateful for the trust placed in us by the National Olympic Committee. We believe this marks a defining moment—not only for our country, but for Mongolia’s fashion industry and the recognition of our prestigious cashmere on a global stage.”
Team Haiti x Stella Jean
At this year’s Games, Team Haiti’s two skiers will be the only athletes to take to the slopes in fully hand-painted uniforms.
The outfits were created by Italian-Haitian designer Stella Jean. They feature an eye-catching jewel-toned design, painstakingly brushed over ski pants, boots, jackets, and even a puffer skirt. In an interview with the AP, Jean said that the design—which centers a galloping red horse—was inspired by the 2006 painting Toussaint Louverture by Haitian artist Edouard Duval-Carrié.
Duval-Carrié’s painting depicts Louverture, a formerly enslaved man who successfully led the Haitian independence movement against French imperialists and established the first Black republic in 1806, riding atop the red steed. Jean told the AP that her uniform designs initially included Louverture, but she was told by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) that the image broke Olympic rules barring political symbolism.
In order to preserve her work, she painted over Louverture for the final garments. “Rules are rules and must be respected, and that is what we have done,“ Jean told the publication. “But for us, it is important that this horse, his horse, the general’s horse, remains. For us, it remains the symbol of Haiti’s presence at the Olympics.’’
In an Instagram caption revealing the designs, she added, “What you see is not decoration. It is visibility as a form of survival.”
Team Great Britain x Tom Daley
Anyone who watched the Paris 2024 Olympics will recall that the best garment from those Games was former platform diver Tom Daley’s hand-knitted sweater.
Over the past several years, Daley has parlayed his knitting hobby into a side gig as a kind of knitting influencer, sharing images of creations like a sweater for a greyhound and video tutorials on new patterns. At the Paris Olympics, he was seen knitting multiple different garments, including a custom blue-and-red sweater featuring an image of the Eiffel Tower.
This year, Daley’s work will be worn as official Olympic garments by the flagbearers for his home team of Great Britain. Daley collaborated with the British clothing brand Ben Sherman (which is also creating Great Britain’s opening and closing ceremony looks) on a series of knitwear inspired by his country’s flag. The chunky scarves, hats, and snoods have the same charming quality as Daley’s poolside projects that previously captured the hearts of viewers worldwide.