The reaction to Malaysia's new Olympic jacket is still rather mixed
Malaysian Olympic contingent revealing the new jacket. Photo: Olympic Council of Malaysia/Facebook
Following public backlash and the general consensus that the nation's Olympic kit was "ugly" and "cheap-looking", the Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM) has revealed a new jacket for the country's athletes to take Paris by storm. It is three weeks before the opening ceremony of the games or a week before the athletes leave for France next week in batches, and Malaysians take comfort in the issuance of a new Olympic jacket that is generally thought to be better than the previous. Reactions from sports fans have not neared sangat cantik (very beautiful), but many seem to think that a visual statement is finally made. They are also pleased that the Malaysian flag on the left upper chest is now in the original colours rather than the gold/orange of the previous version.
Conspicuouly missing is kit producer Yonex's logo, the double-Y. According to OCM, a new fabric—now with "fierce-looking" tiger stripes—from a different producer is used in the manufacture of the current jacket, and Yonex is unable to apply its logo on the garment due to time constraints. Is it possible that Yonex Sunrise Malaysia, the local arm of the Japanese brand, is unwilling to be associated with the said garment as they are not directly involved with the total look of the new jacket? (Is it not potted to think that a fresh print is all that is needed to improve the look of the jacket, which still seems to be a standard issue and not one designed to improve appearance and performance?) The new diagonally placed black stripes could look like those of tigers' because we are told they are. But the more we look at them, the more we see cartoon hair for an animated shampoo commercial.
OCM president Tan Sr Norza Zakaria was quoted saying: "OCM feels that this new pattern design symbolises the spirit of the tiger which has been the identity of the Malaysian contingent since it was first introduced at the Manila SEA Games in 2005." He did not indicate what, to him, that spirit is, but we take it to mean bravery, strength, even gracefulness. It is not clear why OCM took their contingent's attire so lightly as they did. The Olympics is hosted in Paris this year, and many countries, especially France (whose athletes will get to wear Berluti for the opening ceremony and kit designed by Stephane Ashpool of the streetwear label Pigalle for the games), have taken pains to make sure their sportsmen/women are kitted to impress in a city often considered the "fashion capital of the world". If clothes maketh the man, they do the same for the athlete.
Update (4 July 2024 17:00): Olympics chef de mission Hamidin Mohd Amin revealed to the Malaysian media that the athletes, for the opening ceremony, will be wearing "baju Melayu themed" attire, designed by Rizman Ruzaini, Malaysia's first label to be exhibited in London's Victoria & Albert Museum
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