The iconic adidas stripes are getting a powerful update for the 2024 Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games. This year, the sportswear giant isn’t just focused on creating high-performance apparel for elite athletes, but on ensuring inclusivity for all. The adidas Paris 2024 Kit boasts a groundbreaking approach to design, with a staggering 86% of pieces crafted using universal design principles. This means the clothing is optimized to function seamlessly for both Olympic and Paralympic competitors, with features that cater to a wider range of abilities.
This innovative collection is the culmination of a two-year collaborative effort between adidas designers, engineers, and a diverse group of athletes. ParalympicsGB, Team D Paralympics, the Brooklyn Nets, and German wheelchair basketball teams all played a crucial role in the development process. Jacqueline King, Design Director at adidas, emphasizes the importance of this collaboration: “Over a billion people globally live with a disability. As a leading sportswear brand, our responsibility is to dismantle barriers in sports, ensure equal service for Olympic and Paralympic athletes, and learn from this incredible community to benefit everyone.”
The cornerstone of the Paris 2024 Kit lies in the extensive use of universal design. Feedback from National Olympic and Paralympic Committees revealed a desire for a unified collection that could be customized based on individual needs. This insight fueled the creation of key adaptation points that permeate the entire range, catering to various sports.
These thoughtful modifications include strategically placed seams, light-colored cuffs designed to minimize the visual impact of dirt transfer from wheels, and the use of softer threading for increased comfort. Additionally, team iconography has been shifted from areas often covered by equipment to more visible locations for seated athletes. Furthermore, trims have been adapted for ease of use with limited dexterity, and complicated fastenings have been replaced with user-friendly features like zipped ankle cuffs for those with limb differences. The collection also offers a wider range of garment lengths to accommodate athletes of various heights.
The adidas team delved even deeper by creating a dedicated adaptive training wear outfit specifically designed for athletes who utilize wheelchairs. Working closely with ParalympicsGB athletes Ali Jawad and Lauren Rowles, the designers gained invaluable insights into the crucial relationship between athletes, wheelchairs, and apparel. “Understanding this dynamic allowed us to truly comprehend how non-optimized clothing can negatively impact comfort,” explains Jacqueline King. “This knowledge empowered us to develop a pattern blueprint for the adaptive training wear, while also influencing the broader design philosophy across the entire collection.“
The resulting adaptive training wear outfit prioritizes comfort, functionality, and optimal coverage during training. Key considerations included fit, user experience, and ease of putting on and taking off garments. These learnings are embodied in the shaped workout t-shirt and pants, meticulously designed with minimal seams and soft threading to minimize skin irritation. These pieces are ideal for athletes training in seated sports like rowing and volleyball, or wheelchair-based sports like basketball.
The Training Adaptive Workout T-Shirt boasts a novel seam pattern that minimizes material bunching while seated, while also incorporating an underarm gusset for enhanced freedom of movement. Two strategically placed front slits provide additional shaping.
Complementing the t-shirt is the Training Adaptive Workout Pant, featuring a pattern that eliminates the center-back seam to prevent discomfort and abrasions in seated positions. This ensures optimal coverage during workouts, eliminating potential skin irritation from contact with the wheelchair fabric. The pants also offer an extended leg length option for taller athletes.
Material selection plays a vital role in the adaptive training wear. Based on athlete feedback regarding visual consistency, the garments utilize materials chosen from the broader training collections. These fabrics prioritize stretch for uninhibited movement, durability to withstand contact with supportive equipment, and overall comfort against the skin. Extra-soft materials are incorporated into the waistband of the pants, while soft seam tapes further minimize skin irritation. Additionally, mesh fabrication in the t-shirts provides breathability in key areas where the body interacts with the wheelchair.
The adaptive training wear pieces will be available starting June 1st on adidas.com, in major adidas retail stores worldwide, and at select retailers globally. Products featuring universal design are already available for purchase on adidas.com and at key retailers as of April 19th.
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