Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony uniforms will be designed by Jan Černý. He promised a unique look

He learned from the best – in Paris. Now back in the same place, his job is to dazzle the entire world on 26 July 2024. The Czech Olympic team and its official partner, ALPINE PRO, have joined forces with designer Jan Černý, who will create the Czech team's collection of clothing for the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games in the capital of France. “We have ten seconds to impress everyone during the most watched live broadcast in the world. It is a huge challenge for me,” says Jan Černý.

He has made a name for himself in the fashion world with his innovative take on style, which is also favored by many athletes today. “Jan Černý is a renowned young designer with a bright future, and we are convinced that he will do his best to make the opening ceremony in Paris a success. He is going to create a look for Czech athletes in which they will feel good and look good in the eyes of the world. When we talk to other nations, they all say: Paris is the city of fashion. The opening ceremony will take place on the Seine. And so, the clothing must be extraordinary. And we certainly don't want to be overlooked. We believe Jan can deliver,” said Jiří Kejval, President of the Czech Olympic Committee.

The Czech Olympic team together with ALPINE PRO, the manufacturer of Olympic uniforms since the Vancouver 2010 Winter Games and its official partner, is always looking for a way to put its collections in the limelight. “Like it did with the rubber boots for rainy London, which sold out, or with the blueprint technique used in Tokyo, which is part of the tradition of both countries,” said Václav Hrbek, owner and founder of ALPINE PRO. “We want to impress in Paris with the appropriate style too, which is why we bet on the cooperation with Jan Černý.”

One outfit represents the entire nation. I feel a great responsibility, says the designer

What will the outfit for the opening ceremony look like? “It is going to be unique. I looked and I did not find a similar approach to designing either in the Czech Republic nor abroad,” Jan Černý promised. “The process of creation is a very intense experience for me. Suddenly I must take everything I know and forge it into one outfit that represents the entire country. I feel a great responsibility, and I feel respect.”

Canoeist Petr Fuksa is looking forward to Černý's work: “I hope it rocks.” Swimmer Ondřej Gemov likes to think out of the box himself. “With the Olympics being associated with fashion, I love the idea of someone like Jan doing the collection for the opening ceremony,” he said. And javelin thrower Nikola Ogrodníková is curious about what Jan Černý will come up with. “I am looking forward to seeing what it is going to be like.”

Jiří Kejval added: “Jan is very creative, showing entirely different approaches and possibilities. I can promise you that we will not be going to the opening ceremony wearing conventional suits. It will be something modern and trendy. Everybody is looking forward to it. But we will not reveal the collection until next year.”

However, the collection of casual leisure clothing for the Olympic Games will be presented by the Czech Olympic Team and ALPINE PRO already this fall. “This collection is created by our designer Veronika Paulenová and the selection of materials, cuts, equipment and overall looks is usually done by the athletes themselves so that everything caters to their needs as much as possible,” said Václav Hrbek. “We will, of course, make parts of this collection available to the fans.”