Beijing 2022 uniforms show Chinese ‘spirit’
The organising committee for the Beijing 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, scheduled to run during February and March, respectively, recently unveiled the uniforms to be worn by staff, volunteers and technical officials throughout the events.
Designed by a Beijing Institute of Fashion Technology (BIFT) professor named He Yang (who was also responsible for designing the Beijing 2008 Games uniforms), the uniforms present the graphical motifs of the Beijing 2022 Games in the style of traditional Chinese ink and brush paintings.
Ms He, who is also director of BIFT’s National Costume Museum, told local media that her work on the project was greatly inspired by folk design, which she said teaches that “the best design expresses the richest feelings with the fewest things”.
Relying mainly on a palette of “glowing red, Great Wall grey, sky blue and snow white” (with black elements), the designer relayed that she had made sure to “pay [special] attention to the white space”, a key consideration for traditional Chinese visual artists looking to blend together a harmonious composition. Ms He also painted “snow white” as an auspicious hue, referencing the Chinese saying that “a timely snow promises a good harvest” when speaking with Xinhua.
