Which football fan doesn’t love a good kit launch? Well, today, adidas presented the ground-breaking team kit that will be worn by the British athletes at the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Designed by acclaimed British designer Stella McCartney, the kit is the most comprehensive range that’s ever been supplied to a national team, combining the best in performance technologies and stand-out British style.

Over two years in the making, McCartney’s design of the kit focusses on the Union flag, breaking down the iconic design and reconstructing it, creating a modern and contemporary twist.  The result is a bold design that features on all items of the kit to ensure the British athletes stand out in front of the home crowd as a unified team.

Stella McCartney said: “The first place to start on a project like this is to look at the Union flag. For me it’s one of the most beautiful flags in the world and it was important for me to stay true to that iconic design but also to modernise it and present it in a contemporary way.  Ultimately, we wanted the athletes to feel like a team and be proud with the identity we created.”

The kit was revealed in spectacular style at the Tower of London where over 30 athletes including Jessica Ennis, Phillips Idowu and Ellie Simmonds showcased the performance range including competition kit, training wear, the presentation suit, footwear and accessories.

Speaking about the new adidas kit, British triple jumper Phillips Idowu said: “With a global audience watching London 2012 every little detail matters. I love what Stella has done with the design. Looking good is psychologically important but my sprint suit is also technically advanced, so not only do I look good but I also have confidence in the technology in the kit.”

Nick Craggs, Marketing Director, adidas UK said: “All eyes will be on the British athletes when they take the stage at the Games so we wanted to ensure that they would be the best equipped team through a combination of leading technologies,  including TECHFITTM PowerWEB and Climacool and a unified, striking team identity.”

adidas will supply over 900 British athletes across the 26 Olympic and 20 Paralympic sports producing a total of approximately 175,000 items of clothing. This is made up of 590 individual articles that have been created to ensure the British team will be the best equipped nation for the Games.

Replica ranges of the British team kit will go on sale in April, including football, tennis, cycling, basketball, athletics and swimwear.

What do you think?

  • Would you like to see more kits with ‘stand-out’ style like this?
  • Does the Olympics factor change the way the kit is designed?