Team Canada and lululemon reveal Paris 2024 Olympics and Paralympics kit
Team Canada’s official kit for the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games was revealed in Toronto on Tuesday by lululemon, the Canadian Olympic Committee (COC), and Canadian Paralympic Committee (CPC).
In-competition gear is specific to each sport, but the gear revealed on Tuesday will be worn at the opening and closing ceremonies, on the podium, for media responsibilities, and around the Olympic and Paralympic Village.
This year’s kit was designed with accessibility and athlete comfort in mind. Accessible features including magnetic-close zippers, pull-on loops, and sensory touch guides, and items have been designed to be comfortable and functional in a seated position.
Athletes will be able to layer their gear to personalize their looks and adjust to the temperature in Paris, and the clothes feature fabrics that will help with breathability and ventilation. The podium jacket can zip off to short sleeves, and the pants can zip off to shorts, for example.
The opening ceremony outfit is predominantly red, and “interprets the art, architecture, and nature found throughout Canada”, while the podium outfit is white with red and features “a modern take on the maple leaf”. The closing ceremony look is a black and red design inspired by the northern lights and created in collaboration with Whistler-based artist Mason Mashon of Saddle Cree Nation.
The outfit to wear during media appearances is a “calmer” shade of red and white, and is a translucent jacket with a shirt and shorts underneath. According to the COC it “takes inspiration from how Canada’s red and white colours show up in nature.”
During the design process, lululemon worked with 19 Canadian Olympic and Paralympic athletes across 14 different sports to understand their unique needs, test products, and get feedback.
“My biggest takeaway from this process was lululemon’s commitment to working with Paralympians to make the pieces accessible and adaptable,” said Zak Madell from Canada’s wheelchair rugby team in a press release. “It’s not only about looking good, but also about feeling good – and I can’t imagine a better way to show up for Canada. I know this kit will be a part of my daily wardrobe moving forward because of the attention to detail.”
“Paris will be my fourth Olympics and I have not seen a kit quite like this,” said Damian Warner, the reigning Olympic champion in decathlon. “We’re going to be able to showcase some of our own personal style, while showing off our Canadian pride together.”
An important part of the launch was the expansion of the Future Legacy program — which ensures that 10 percent of sales of select items will go back to Canadian athletes through the Canadian Olympic Foundation and the Paralympic Foundation of Canada. Both organizations help Canadian athletes access resources, equipment, and funding needed to compete.
“It will feel incredible to see Canadians wearing the Future Legacy collection, especially knowing that a portion of proceeds will be used to support so many future Canadian athlete stars,” said 17-year-old swimmer Summer McIntosh, who is expected to be one of Canada’s stars in Paris and for years to come.
Included in that Future Legacy program are Team Canada-branded scarves, hats, and bags. The Future Legacy gear is priced at $38 each, much less expensive than most of the other lululemon and Team Canada collection, which costs between $58 and $398.
Canadian athletic apparel brand lululemon was announced as the official outfitter of the Canadian Olympic Committee and Canadian Paralympic Committee in September 2021 in the leadup to the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics and Paralympics. The partnership with Team Canada is in place through the the Los Angeles 2028 Summer Olympics and Paralympics.
The Paris 2024 Olympic Games will take place from Friday, July 26 to Sunday, August 11, with the Paralympics set to take place from August 28 to September 8.
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