The opening ceremony of any Olympic Games is a moment for each participating country to announce its arrival in style. The Paris 2024 Olympics kick off on Friday, when teams from around the world will parade along the Seine River, following their chosen flagbearers, while decked out in specially made uniforms designed to represent what their home country stands for.
The internet is already swooning over the unique and eye-catching designs to be worn by athletes from Mongolia, Haiti, Czechia, the U.S., and hosts France, but Brazil’s attempt has gone down like a lead balloon with the public — and even the athletes themselves.
Designed by Brazilian fast-fashion brand Riachuelo, the women’s opening ceremony uniform consists of a below-the-knee white skirt, along with a yellow-striped t-shirt and a denim jacket with emblematic Brazilian animals embroidered on the back. The men will also be wearing the same denim jackets, but with white pants and a green-striped t-shirt.
Both the men and women will be wearing Havaianas flip-flops, aimed at showcasing an “everyday” Brazilian clothing style. Indeed, accessible and uncomplicated seem to be the order of the day, with the original embroidered denim jackets already available to purchase on Riachuelo’s website for around USD 100.
According to Riachuelo, the collection sought to embody Brazil’s heritage, with embroidery and colors that echo the national flag. But judging by the reception on social media, Brazilians think Riachuelo’s designs are much too simple, unoriginal, and conservative.
“Denim jackets have nothing to do with our history. A shirt with a Breton pattern, which alludes to France’s history, has nothing to do with ours. The circular midi skirt, which alludes to Dior’s 1947 New Look skirt, is iconic to French fashion and has no connection to Brazil,” image consultant Ana Vaz told Folha de São Paulo.
Even the Havaianas flip-flops, a popular and much-loved item of footwear across the country, are being criticized as being out of touch with the importance of the opening ceremony, with Ms. Vaz calling them almost disrespectful to the athletes that “dedicate their lives to their sports.”
Beyond questions of fashion and style, the Brazilian Olympic Committee (COB) has also come under fire for the quality and quantity of event uniforms supplied to its athletes. Decathlete José Fernando “Balotelli” Ferreira posted a photo of the equipment he received on social media, expressing his disappointment with the COB.
“You guys have no idea what a turn-off it was to receive the Brazilian Olympic kit. I always thought that at this level we’d receive a bag full of materials, clothes, and shoes, but it seems that for us it is not quite like that,” he wrote. As he competes in ten different events, Ferreira requires a range of specialized kit, including seven different models of shoes. Instead, he received a vest, tracksuit, and a pair of shorts.
Vocês não tem ideia do quanto foi broxante receber o material da seleção sempre achei que nas olimpíadas receberíamos uma mala de materiais, com tênis, roupas e sapatilhas mas parece que não é bem assim pra nós pic.twitter.com/FjzE7wtZPl
— Balotelli (@ferrazdecatlo) July 22, 2024
Misericórdia! Enquanto os outros atletas estão recebendo o material para as olimpíadas de Paris em malas, tudo organizado, tudo bonito … o povo do vôlei recebe em um saco em uma etiqueta.pic.twitter.com/hFtD3Etnlb
— Portal Bruno Rezende • Fan Account (@portalbrunor1) July 10, 2024
Discus thrower Izabela da Silva highlighted another glaring error in the supply of kits: a lack of sizing. She was told by equipment manufacturer Puma that their womens’ kits only went up to a size medium, meaning she received only mens’ sizes.
Meanwhile, comments on social media have been scathing of Riachuelo and the COB, with some claiming that Brazil is already losing the Olympics before the competition has begun.
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