Fashion kicks off the Olympic Games

Paris had promised us an incredible show for the opening ceremony of the Olympics, and Paris kept its promise. Last Friday, during the opening ceremony of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, the entire city (and perhaps the whole world) was dazzled by a show ranging from Aya Nakamura reprising Charles Aznavour's words to Céline Dion moving audiences of all ages with an incredible rendition of Edith Piaf, perched on the first floor of the Eiffel Tower. Yet, the singers present to honor the blue, white, and red flag were not the only ones lighting up this night that will go down in history. French fashion rolled up its sleeves to pay homage to France in the best possible way by dressing its guests. Although French fashion and luxury were already omnipresent at the event even before it started, with LVMH as a premium partner, the luxury giant's takeover continued during the ceremony, with Dior having almost a monopoly on the outfits. Let's discover the outfits that marked the evening and the messages they carried.

True to the usual Parisian weather, rain made an appearance on Friday night during the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games, but it failed to extinguish the fire that Aya Nakamura brought to the stage with her performance. After facing a wave of racism and hatred following rumors about her participation in the event, the French-Malian singer silenced the critics with a dazzling show featuring a mash-up of her most famous songs, including a rendition of Charles Aznavour's For Me Formidable, accompanied by the Republican Guard. Like a phoenix rising from its ashes, she wore a stunning custom-made asymmetrical gown of golden feathers by Dior, created by Maria Grazia Chiuri. A creation echoing the Dior Haute Couture FW24 collection and its gowns inspired by ancient Greece, perfectly fitting the context of the Olympic Games. The singer also wore a blonde wig and matching golden gladiator sandals, giving her an almost mystical look like a character straight out of a tale about Zeus or Venus.

Also dressed by Maria Grazia Chiuri, French-Guadeloupean mezzo-soprano Axelle Saint-Cirel set a high standard at the beginning of the ceremony, singing a highly republican version of La Marseillaise on the rooftops of the Grand Palais. While there is no better song to honor the country where she was born, the young singer's outfit was also a subtle yet obvious way to pay tribute to France. She wore a Dior white gown draped on the left side painted red, blending the blue flag she held in her right hand into her outfit. A magnificent blue, white, and red tableau resembling (almost too much to be a coincidence) Marianne, a dark-skinned Marianne, French in every way and proud to be, perfectly representing the Republic.

Following the principle of never two without three, let's continue this Dior journey with Lady Gaga, also dressed by Maria Grazia Chiuri. In a tribute to Zizi Jeanmaire, the singer wore a black feather jacket, a black satin bustier, and briefs, topped with a removable skirt embroidered with pink and black feathers, to perform the French cabaret artist's most famous song, Mon truc en plumes, on the riverbanks. The brand even specified in a press release that the feathers were collected during the birds' molting. A beautiful tribute to France by an American artist who offered a perfectly Made in France show.

And the fourth, of course: let's end with the last Dior creation that marked the evening with Céline Dion, who closed the ceremony by singing L’hymne à l’amour by Edith Piaf, overlooking the audience from the top of the Eiffel Tower. A performance that brought tears even to the most insensitive (especially knowing the Canadian singer's health condition), but above all, a performance that required an outfit matching her brilliance. The Dior gown with a high collar in white silk georgette with fringes and studded with thousands of silver beads she wore was perfectly suited. A creation that involved 500 meters of fringes and required over 1,000 hours of work. The composer and conductor accompanying her wore a Dior suit designed by Kim Jones.

Besides, numerous celebrities graced the Parisian ground, dressed by great fashion houses, such as Ariana Grande (promoting the movie Wicked) who posed in front of the Eiffel Tower in a pink powder dress inspired by Audrey Hepburn and the 1950s silhouettes, signed Thom Browne. Pharell Williams, in a full Louis Vuitton look of course, was present after carrying the Olympic flame alongside Laetitia Casta. Serena Williams opted for a blazing red gown with a square neckline, made of lace, tulle, and silk chiffon with draped details, signed Dolce & Gabbana. Different and interesting propositions but above all, a refreshing fashion break among all those sometimes not very fashionable sports outfits. Now that the ceremony is over, it remains to be seen if fashion will continue to infiltrate the Games to offer us these visual delights.