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Five worst Winter Olympics uniforms

Posted February. 10, 2018 07:35,   

Updated February. 10, 2018 07:35

한국어

Sometimes, too much ruins the whole look. Let’s take a look back on five Winter Olympics uniform debacles.

When the Russian team’s uniform for the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics was unveiled, Koreans went online to mockingly compare it to a rainbow. There were too many colors all over the place with red, yellow, lime, light blue, white, violet and orange, even making some feel dizzy. At the same time, however, the Russian uniform, designed by Germany’s Adidas and Bogner, was positively eval‎uated by some people for its implication for protest action against Russia suppressing the sexual minority. The rainbow symbol for the sexual minority was developed by an American gay rights activist, Gilbert Baker (1951-2017), in 1978 and spread globally.

The Americans’ too much love for a cowboy-esque style failed to match the sports vibe in Sarajevo in 1984. The U.S. team’s outfit had a red brown jumper accompanied with a cowboy hat. They seemed to have walked out from the Western movie. The cowboy fashion with cowboy hat, Western boots and jeans is an iconic style for freedom and pioneer. Was it too much in Sarajevo? The outfit was criticized that the Americans looked much older than old cowboys.

With aviator jumpers, cargo pants and red beanies, the outfit would have been much better if it were not Salt Lake City in 2002. The location did not match. Foreign media said, “The Mexicans will be a best dresser on a runway but not at the Winter Olympics opening ceremony.” The Mexicans made some people think about the movie “Top Gun” (1987), wherein Tom Cruise played a role of jet pilot.

It was the opening ceremony of the 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer. As the Canada team enters the stadium, the crowd began buzzing about the uniform. With red full-length jackets and capes accompanied with black fur hats and gloves, the outfit resembled a Russian costume. “Canada” was embroidered on the flag flapping, but a Canadian style was missing. It is still a mystery what the Canadians intended.

The Czechs were scored low for using a messy pattern in Vancouver in 2010. It was criticized that it was like Jackson Pollock's painting or shapes from a rough sketch.


Seol Lee snow@donga.com