500+ Artisans Making Olympic Costumes | National News

An army of artisans is working diligently to complete thousands of costumes for the upcoming Paris Olympics ceremonies. The designers promise that each costume will be a unique blend of history, sport, and flamboyance.

Located in a workshop in Seine-Saint-Denis on the outskirts of Paris, about 20 costume designers and milliners were busy at work when AFP visited recently.

This workshop is just one of around 20 spread across France, each bustling with sewing machines and stocked with fabric and props as the Games draw near. 

Costumes were lined up on racks but hidden under tarps to maintain an element of surprise.

“We are creating the largest celebration in the world,” said Daphne Burki, 44, the costume director for the Games, who previously worked at Dior under John Galliano. 

About 15 designers are overseeing the work of around 500 craftspeople who are preparing for the opening and closing ceremonies of both the Olympics and Paralympics. 

For the first ceremony on July 26, there will be approximately 200 dressers and nearly 300 hair and makeup artists stationed along a seven-kilometer stretch of the River Seine and its bridges. 

In an effort to address concerns about clothing waste and pollution, there is a strong focus on utilizing vintage and second-hand outfits that have had a life before and will have a life after the ceremonies, according to Burki.

“You will witness 3,000 distinct silhouettes,” she declared, ensuring that no two costumes are alike. “Each piece of clothing narrates a tale.”

One of the showcased outfits combined a medieval doublet jacket with a tracksuit made from neoprene and stretch cotton – a homage to both fencing and costume history, explained Olivier Beriot, Burki’s deputy. 

“We merged historical forms with contemporary materials,” he added. 

Within the workshop, Roberta Oakey, 59, a former costume designer from the Paris Opera, is perfecting a dancer’s costume fabric, prioritizing “maximum movement”.

Another costume designer, Corinne Page, is enhancing the support of another outfit. 

With over 30 years of experience in theatre and opera, she is accustomed to the intricate work that frequently involves creating, redoing, and reconstructing outfits multiple times.

“But we adore it!” she exclaimed. 

The team may only see one aspect of the ceremonies, Page stated, “but it will be truly breathtaking.” 

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