On the 14th of April, in the VDNH Cosmos Pavilion, the ZASPORT (the official outfitter of the Russian Olympic Team for the XXXII Olympic Games in Tokyo) collection was presented.
At all times, the main objective of the VDNH was the same — to show the best of what we have in our great country. Since its foundation, the exhibition has been keeping the score of victories — a book of records that allows VDNH to remain one of the most popular cultural and entertainment venues for Muscovites and guests of the capital from all over the world.
The Cosmos Pavilion is a space with a unique exposition, powerful energy, and stunning architecture that combines Soviet traditions and modern innovations. Holding the Olympic show at this location has a special significance. One of the central exhibits, the globe, recalls the Olympic Movement’s main goal — to make the world a better place through sport. And achievements in the space industry are something our country has always been proud of, especially since April 12, 2021 is the 60th anniversary of Yuri Gagarin’s flight, who was the first man in the world to go into space.
Anna Kikina, the test cosmonaut and the only woman in the cosmonaut team of Roscosmos, became the Ambassador of the collection for the XXXII Olympic Games in Tokyo
At the show in the Cosmos Pavilion, both the outfit for the Games participants in Tokyo and members of the delegation and a collection for the fans with the state symbols and the inscription RUSSIA were demonstrated. Participants in the fashion show were professional models and athletes, many of whom had already been selected for the Tokyo Olympic Games.
TOKYO 2020 collection is a mix of Russian and Japanese motifs: tricolor stripes on jackets open in a fan shape, print on suitcases reminds bamboo shoots, and prints on T-shirts and sole lines on sneakers are inspired by the famous engraving “Big wave in Kanagawa.” One of the collection’s main elements was the inscription TOKYO — a specially designed font stylized as hieroglyphs. The symbols for summer sports are also drawn in the same manner.
Besides, the outfit has a modern version of a common Russian costume element – a shoulder strap: the decoration was transformed into a graphic necklace around the neck, which is applied on longsleeves, Olympic sweatshirts, and polo shirts.
The collection’s main materials are cotton, modern moisture-wicking, quick-drying, and cooling fabrics designed for high temperatures in Japan.
Participants in the Tokyo Games and members of the delegation will receive a kit comprising some 60 items of outfit, including jacket, trousers, shirt, parade suit, tracksuit, windproof suit, sweatshirts, t-shirts, polo shirts, shorts, breeches, jeans, belt, raincoat, baseball cap, swimsuit/bathing suit, sneakers, sandals, flip flops, socks, towel, sunglasses, scarf/tie, belt bag, backpack, gym bag, suitcase.
The ZASPORT outfit center will open in Moscow on July 1.
Stanislav Pozdnyakov, the President of the Russian Olympic Committee: “I like the design of the outfit, both competitive and parade for athletes, and the line, designed for all wishing to join our Olympic team. I think the proposed combination of national Russian identity elements, our usual colors with Japanese motifs is a success. Outstanding work was done, especially considering that after the December CAS decisions, our colleagues from ZASPORT had to make quick decisions and make changes in the project. Which I think was perfectly done.”
Anastasia Zadorina, the founder of the ZASPORT brand: “When we presented the first sketches of TOKYO 2020 collection to the Athletes Commission, they asked us to add more Russian inscriptions and the tricolor — the symbols of our country on the uniform are really important for athletes. But we could not ignore the possibility that our athletes will go to Tokyo under a neutral flag. That’s why our team has developed two outfit variants where there are models with identical cut, chevrons on buttons which can be easily fastened and detached. The ZASPORT collections for Pyeongchang and Tokyo are united by the space theme and the reinterpretation of Soviet sport traditions, but for TOKYO 2020, we focused on bright colors and graphics. At the beginning of 2020, the Tokyo Games’ collection was fully agreed upon with the Russian Olympic Committee and the International Olympic Committee. On March 24, it was announced: the Olympics will be postponed to the next year, but the name of the Games remains the same — TOKYO 2020. On 19 February 2021, the IOC officially announced that Russian athletes at the Olympic Games in Tokyo would perform under the Russian Olympic Committee’s flag. We took these new inputs into account and provided the IOC with additional sketches of the uniform, which were promptly agreed upon. After Pyeongchang Games, where Russian athletes went in a “neutral” status, and it was necessary to provide them with the appropriate equipment as soon as possible, our ZASPORT team learned to react to all changes with cosmic speed”.
Yulia Kaplina, the climber, world record holder in speed climbing: “I like the quality and material of the outfit. The training clothes are made of technological fabric, which is very comfortable for the sport. Suits, cotton t-shirts are suitable for every day. I can mention the design and beautiful color, I think I will wear them in my everyday life. This is my first time going to the Olympics, and I really like that our team’s uniform looks modern and fashionable; it gives me confidence!”
Sasha Gusev, 11 years old, Russian skateboarding champion: “I like the choice of colors, and the TOKYO sign looks very cool. All of the items I tried on are stylish and look great, and fit well. It will be a pleasure for me to go to the Olympics in this collection. I hope I will be able to qualify and become a participant in the Games in Tokyo.”
