In mid-2018, a group of colleagues from JACK & JONES and VERO MODA set out to ‘create the best-ever Olympic and Paralympic collection’. Next month, the end result will make its debut on the world stage.
When the Danish Olympic and Paralympic athletes enter the Olympic Stadium in Tokyo for their respective opening ceremonies over the coming months, it will be the fourth consecutive time where they will be decked out in clothes designed by BESTSELLER.
As the official clothing partner for Denmark’s Olympic and Paralympic teams, BESTSELLER has designed and delivered an exclusive collection at Beijing 2008, London 2012 and Rio 2016 for use in all non-competition situations.
That experience has played a vital role in the development of the Tokyo 2020 collection, which has been designed completely to the athletes’ needs. It is also our most sustainable Olympic and Paralympic collection ever, as well as the most clearly Danish.
“The Tokyo 2020 collection really reflects Denmark with more red – in different shades – than previously. Furthermore, the Danish flag has also been incorporated more than before,” explains Anders Gam, Brand Director at JACK & JONES and head of BESTSELLER’s Olympic and Paralympic design team.
“We have used new innovative fabrics that are suitable for the hot and humid climate that is expected in Tokyo to make the athletes look good but still comfortable in our clothes.”
Tokyo tailoring
In step with Japan’s ambitions to make Tokyo 2020 a sustainable event, BESTSELLER has produced its most sustainable Olympic and Paralympic collection yet. This required the design team to consider sustainability with every style.
Similarly, the design team also considered Japan’s climate from the outset. Summers in Tokyo are hot and humid, so each style has been specifically deliberately adapted – with the use of new materials and other design features – to keep the athletes as comfortable as possible.
“We are very proud of our latest Olympic and Paralympic collection. We truly believe this collection will be ‘a keeper’ that the athletes will use over and over again – also after they return from Japan,” says Bettina Holst, VERO MODA’s International Buying and Design Manager.
“By adding seamless training wear and going with a lighter jersey in our sweat styles, we have created a collection with the athletes’ needs in focus. We hope the athletes will enjoy wearing the clothes as much as we enjoyed designing them.”
JACK & JONES’ Design Manager Winnie Andersen adds:
“For Tokyo, we had high focus on the performance features and comfort of the products such as seamless fabrics, ventilation details, cooling effect treatments and light flexible qualities, due to the heat and humidity of a Japanese summer.”
For example, the t-shirts to be worn at the Opening Ceremony and with the medal suit have a eucalyptus-based print on the inside, which has a cooling effect when it touches the skin.
‘Crucial’ feedback
In 2019, BESTSELLER met with seven Danish athletes to discuss the upcoming Olympic and Paralympic collection.
These meetings with the athletes are “crucial”, according to Anders Gam, as they are the first time the athletes get to see the new collection and there is still time to make adjustments.
“The athletes are by far the most important in all this. They have trained hard with dedication for years and years to participate and compete in the Olympics and Paralympics. The clothes must in no way be a distraction and should contribute to the proud and positive feeling of being part of the Danish team,” he says.
Bettina adds:
“It’s an exciting experience working closely with the athletes, interpreting their feedback and then translating it into products that meet their particular requirements, while also achieving a fashionable look.”
