Teams SA & Liberia Named Forbes’ Most Stylish Kits At Tokyo Olympics (PIX)

Stephan Rabimov is a contributor who writes about emerging markets, fashion, arts, and culture. This is his contribution to the influential global business magazine, Forbes. He highlights 8 most stylish kits that will be won by the athletes at this year’s Olympic games in Tokyo. South Africa and Liberia are the only African countries on the list.

” I have been covering Olympic fashion since 2016 (remember Rio and its Zika virus concerns?) as part of the fashion diplomacy discourse and practices. For the teams on-site, it is a unique opportunity to rally national pride at a time when many countries are struggling with post-pandemic morale. Here are top eight noteworthy Olympic uniform design” – Stephan Rabimov

Olympics are a chance to uplift the global diasporas. New York designer Telfar Clemens, born to Liberian parents, has amassed quite a following for his gender-neutral vegan-friendly brand. In fact, nearly double that of @Tokyo2020! The creator of the “Bushwick Birkin” is making Olympic history with his unisex designs for the five-person Liberian national track and field team. The seventy-piece wardrobe is being reworked into a capsule athleisure collection to a drop online during the Games. Thanks to Telfar’s street style notoriety, Vogue has already crowned Liberia’s uniforms “the coolest”.

As a unique global event, the Olympics provide unique opportunities for communities worldwide. Durban Fashion Fair commissioned young artists – Mbali Zulu, Nompumelelo Mjadu, Sandile Sikhakhane and Sipho Lushaba – to design uniforms for Team South Africa in partnership with manufacturer Mr. Price Sport. It is the first time the entire kit (including official off-field footwear by Veldskoen) has been created and produced locally. It may not be memorable as a fashion statement, but it is a commendable experiment in divesting from corporations to the people. Given recent unrest in the country, this may provide a rare instance of unity.