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The Paris Olympics 2024 is currently taking place in the fashion capital of France. This event in Paris has all eyes on it, not just because of the spectacular performances by athletes but also because of the fashion game that is being displayed on the international sports platform.
On Sunday, star gymnast Simone Biles powered through her injury to deliver a striking performance at the Paris Olympics. Another factor that captured eyeballs was the Swarovski-embellished leotards worn by her and Team USA gymnasts at the game.
Simone Biles | Instagram
Along with Simone Biles, the other Team USA gymnasts, Jade Carey, Sunisa Lee, Hezly Rivera, Jordan Chiles, Leanne Wong, and Joscelyn Roberson, donned stunning crystal-encrusted leotards for the game. These leotards were made by GK Elite Sportswear from Pennsylvania and boasted of 6,359 Swarovski crystals, star-shaped designs, and intricate white, blue, and red embroidery. Reportedly, if these leotards were sold in stores, they would be priced at around USD 3,000 (2.51 lakh rupees).
As per Fortune, "The red, white, and blue colour scheme is an obvious nod to the competitors' nationality, but the ornate pattern of the crystals-as well as the unmistakable glow emanating from them is a nod to Paris' nickname of the City of Lights. The bright designs follow a convention of Olympic gymnasts donning themselves with ornamented uniforms, a trend that has increased in intensity since 2008 when gold medallist Nastia Liukin's leotard had only 184 crystals on it."
Furthermore, a report by Women's Wear Daily (WWD) revealed GK's design director Jeanne Diaz saying, "Functionality is key, given how many rotations can be happening in the air at any moment, such as Biles' 'triple-double' in the floor exercise, a manoeuvre that involves three flips and two twists. She doesn't want to be thinking about her leotard and whether it is staying put or not. She can leave that to us, the experts. And she does. The garment has to perform and function, and it does."
