Er, Olympic Council of Malaysia… we have lots of local designer you know

Malay Mail

COMMENTARY, July 1 – Renowned as a fashion capital, Paris is set to host the Olympics and Paralympic Games later this month.

However, the fashion spotlight extends beyond the city itself. Leading up to the Games, stylish kits for athletes representing their countries have been unveiled worldwide.

Vogue France has even featured the occasion on its front cover. Among the notable brands, Team USA will wear Ralph Lauren, Team Great Britain has partnered with Adidas and Team Japan has chosen Asics.

For Team Canada’s collaboration with lululemon, it was revealed via this cool and inclusive runway presentation.

When it comes to our Malaysian athletes’ uniforms ... well, we know how the Olympic Council of Malaysia (OCM)’s recent unveiling went.

The choice of mannequins instead of athletes and the questionable outfit designs, including the oh-so-terrible (and terrifying) wigs, sparked widespread bewilderment and criticism.

Media and online commentators likened the display to being "ugly" and "cheap-looking," echoing disappointment over the absence of the iconic tiger stripes that symbolise the national sports teams.

The uniforms, themed in gold to symbolise Malaysia's pursuit of gold medals, were intended to reflect national pride but many felt they should have incorporated elements from Malaysia's national flag, the Jalur Gemilang.

On social media and X (formerly known as Twitter), local online users wasted no time in showing their scorn.

From memes to online criticism, some went as far as creating improved designs using AI.

“We are going to the Olympics ... we want to promote Malaysia in the eyes of the world ... it’s embarrassing to have a design that looks like a school kid’s emergency outfit,” said X user Aliff Shanusi.

“We have Rizman Ruzaini who designed for Lady Gaga ... why is Malaysia never recognising their own talents and make a better Olympic uniform. Still so mad about this bye,” added Alvy Joanna.

“Please, there’s still time to change. This looks like it was designed using Microsoft Paint from Parameswara’s era,” said Januar Haikal.

“Other countries have the hottest drop of Olympic uniform and then we have Malaysia with the seluar londeh and the mannequins looking like they’ve seen some s***,” tweeted Bobyn.

Even three-time Olympian cyclist Josiah Ng added his voice, highlighting the recurring issue of failing to nail down the right designs.

“I’ve competed at 3 Olympics for Malaysia and there is a reason I didn’t keep any of our outfits as a souvenir,” he posted on Instagram.

The negative feedback grew to such an extent that the event organiser felt compelled to issue an apology.

“We acknowledge our shortcomings and take responsibility for any flaws in the management and organisation of the event as well as (for attracting) comments from fans and netizens that affect the overall image of OCM,” said MY Creative Moments managing director, Wong Kang Woon.

Well, the good (?) news is, after the barrage of criticism, our Olympic kit will now get a facelift.

The OCM said on June 28 that it has decided to improve the existing design to bring out the tiger motif on the jackets more clearly. OCM president Mohamad Norza Zakaria said the council will discuss the design tweaks with the official apparel manufacturer, Yonex Sunrise.

But the Olympics just 25 days away (July 26) is it a case of too little, too late?

It also begs the question: with the abundance of talented Malaysian designers, why wasn’t any of them roped in for this high-profile assignment?

We’re talking, after all, about the Summer Olympics which commands over an average global viewership of three billion.

In 2014, Melinda Looi designed the Malaysian delegate’s uniforms for the XXI Commonwealth Games. Her interpretation of the tiger’s unique characteristics, which ran across the sports kits as bold and vibrant prints, was received favourably.

Aside from Looi, we have Khoon Hooi, Rizman Ruzaini, Bernard Chandran, Rizalman, Celest Thoi, Moses Law of Tangoo ... the list goes on and on.

This underscores a larger issue of not fully tapping into local talent. It's high time we allow our homegrown couturiers to shine, showcasing our nation on the global stage.

Our athletes may not yet win a gold medal at the Olympics. But pretty please, they do not deserve sarcasm when it comes to their sartorial choice.