National colours, Czech details and a bold pattern. Olympians and Paralympians are set to steal the show in Paris

What if you only had ten seconds to impress the entire world? The Czech team will wear its national colours at the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games in Paris held on 26 July 2024 on the River Seine, and their colours will shine in an unusual way. The athletes will introduce their home country through many interesting details on their coats, shoes or scarves. And the trench coat, the centerpiece of the Opening Ceremony collection created for the Czech Olympic Team and ALPINE PRO by designer Jan Černý, will also connect the Czech Republic with the host country, France.

“We are going to stand out in any crowd. We wanted to be noticed in the heart of Paris, the capital of fashion," said Jiří Kejval, President of the Czech Olympic Committee. “My generation may be surprised by the design of the collection for the Opening Ceremony, but it will be worn mainly by young people, who can relate to Jan Černý's work. And if the athletes feel comfortable wearing their outfits, they will also have the confidence they need to perform in competitions we all look forward to.”

It is important that the collection represents contemporary young design.

Canoeist Lukáš Rohan, who participated in the creation of the collection on the athletes’ side, said: "I personally really like the outfits created by Jan Černý. Mainly because the point is to attract attention. As he himself said, we will be in the spotlight for just a few seconds. And that is why you need to be expressive. At the same time, I like that we decided to go for something modern and not stick to a conservative style. I think it may appeal to a completely different group of people than those who normally watch sports.”

The Olympic silver medalist is curious to see the reactions. “It is clear that not everyone is going to like it, and some people will disapprove. But in terms of a young audience and those who are not involved with sports, this is exactly what we needed and can give us access to a completely different target audience. I think that is the point of the Olympics. I am so glad the Olympic team showed boldness and went for something like this.”

Designer Jan Černý is happy with the first reactions. “The most important thing is that the collection makes the athletes feel good and that it represents contemporary young design emerging in the Czech Republic. I think it is imperative that even as a small country, we can have a distinctive but very contemporary and relevant look that stands out. I am looking forward to presenting the collection in Paris, the city of fashion, and seeing how it compares to the uniforms of other countries. The first feedback from the athletes who have already seen the outfits is extremely positive, which gives me a great feeling of satisfaction,” Černý summarized the purpose of the collection.

One hundred years since Paris 1924: national colours and a reference to Vladimír Boudník

Czech pride, embodies by the national colours, this time a darker blue, a muted red and a creamy white, is the first line of Jan Černý's inspiration. The details on the outfit feature the national flag or letters CZE. These also appear in the form of "stamps" on the coat made of Japanese nylon, which connects the Czech Republic with France, where the designer worked in the past. The most striking part of the collection combines the Czech balloon coat with the trench coat, so popular in France. “Our Opening Ceremony collections always pay tribute to the host country, and this coat is fully in line of this tradition,” added Jiří Kejval.

Athlete Kristiina Sasínek Mäki is looking forward to wearing the coat after the Olympics. "I am going to wear it proudly all the time, I will not let it sit in the closet. It is great that the collection has Czech colours and sport elements but, at the same time, it is fashionable. This collection is brutally special, and I like it a lot. It is beautiful, it is dignified, it is cool. It is simply great. I find it awesome, and I am definitely looking forward to wearing it.”

Nástupová kolekce českého týmu pro Paříž 2024

The coat is also decorated with a blue ink Rorschach pattern referring to the work of graphic artist and painter Vladimír Boudník, who was born in 1924, the year the Olympic Games were last held in Paris. The colour gradients of the polo shirt and trousers are based on the colours of historical Czech jerseys. There is an unexpected pea green accent on the scarf, socks, sneakers and visible labels that deliberately breaks up the more classic red, blue and white silhouette.

“We try to create the most comfortable and functional clothing for athletes for everyday wear at the Olympic Games. But the Opening Ceremony is exceptional – especially when it takes place in Paris, in the heart of the city on the River Seine. That is why we engaged Jan Černý. We believe that his original perspective will find its audience at home and around the world,” said Václav Hrbek, owner and founder of ALPINE PRO, partner of the Czech Olympic Team.

Same, but different – Paralympians will wear jackets instead of coats for the Opening Ceremony

Jan Černý spent some time in France and when he was working on the Olympic collection, his mind reflected on his travels around the Seine. “Creating a collection for the Czech Olympic and Paralympic team is a great personal honour for me. It is a wonderful coincidence that it is designed for the Games that take place in Paris, a city with which I have a personal connection. This is the reason why I tried to connect the two cultures and find a link between them that would appear in the collection. I believe that our athletes will represent the Czech Republic to the best of their ability, and I wanted them to feel proud and comfortable in Paris.”

The Olympic outfit is also complemented by an amulet crafted by Lasvit out of Bohemian glass in the shape of a linden leaf, a symbol of protection and strength needed during sports performance.

The ALPINE PRO collection designed by Jan Černý will also be worn by the Paralympic team at the opening of the Games on 28 August. “Instead of coats, Paralympians will wear shorter jackets, which work better for athletes in wheelchairs. The rest of the outfits will be the same, and our Paralympians will appear in Paris in the spirit of their motto, “Same but Different”,” said Zbyněk Sýkora, President of the Czech Paralympic Committee.

Rower and basketball player Tomas Nevěčný said: “I am not completely used to this style, but the design of the collection is very interesting, very imaginative and extravagant. I like it. But the most important thing for me as a person in a wheelchair is that it fits perfectly, it doesn’t limit my movements and the shorter jacket is a great idea.”