Inter-Stella Blue
With the London 2012 Olympics a mere 126 days away, yesterday saw the unveiling of the Great Britain Olympic team kit. Designed by Stella McCartney in collaboration with Adidas, the predominantly blue kit comprising of clothing for the Olympic and Paralympic competitions, medal ceremonies, training and relaxation time, has stirred up some mixed reviews.
Cited as combining style, performance and a contemporary take on the union flag, McCartney felt it was: “Something that was very important to me was to try and use that very iconic image but to dismantle it and try to soften it, break it down and make it more fashionable in a sense.”
Fashion statement
Branding Team GB as another great British icon wasn’t the only key consideration for McCartney and the Adidas team. The clothing needed to give our superstar athletes the competitive edge and empowerment to achieve great results, while not sacrificing style over technical performance. German-owned Adidas felt the by making the outfits breathable and footwear lighter and form streamlined, complimented McCartney’s modern interpretation of the Union Jack flag – an instantly recognisable international icon for Great Briton.
The kit comprises of subtle blue colour palette which is complimented by touches of red to the neckline, socks and shoes of the outfits. Criticised by some as being “too blue” and “too Scottish,” McCartney fought back by saying: “I wanted to start with the union flag, but I’m really aware the reds, whites and blues are in other nations’ flags and sometimes you can feel quite confused when you are watching the Games… is that American, is that French?”
United Colours
Has McCartney achieved the difficult task of taking a flag known for it’s military prowess and strength, and subtlety translated that message into sportswear that our army of athletes would be proud to show upon their chest? Team GB seem to think so as Olympic gold medal-winning cyclist Sir Chris Hoy points out: “You want to step out there looking the same as a unit. If you’re all wearing exactly the same kit, you all look smart and you all look together, it’s quite intimidating to other countries. The kit looks fantastic and a bit of a twist to have the union flag incorporated in it but not in an obvious way.”
At Underscore we feel McCartney has excelled in answering a tough brief. Softening our iconic flag which is often used for rather garish purposes, uniting our athletes while still keeping the British air of sophistication, was no easy task. Well done Stella Bella!