IRELAND: The Irish athletes are wearing cream fisherman sweaters under short kelly green jackets, with navy pants (with "IRELAND" in small white lettering on one leg), and cream beanies with a row of green shamrocks on the cuff. Some are also sporting blue neckerchiefs and gloves.
ICELAND: Team Iceland dances into the stadium wearing white snowsuits with either black or silver zippers and black inserts at the pants hems, white beanies, and black mittens. Their dance stylings make up for any lack of sartorial distinction. Since their uniforms are customized Hornstrandir GORE-TEX Pro pieces, they were clearly going for function over form.
ISRAEL: The Israelis are in bright blue jackets with black zippers, flared black pants, white beanies, and black gloves.
KAZAKHSTAN: This team has thigh-length ombre white-to-aqua hooded jackets with navy sleeves and navy zippers, with "KAZAKHSTAN" in navy on the back of the jacket, over white vests with navy zippers, with navy pants and navy beanies with white cording. This is a really nice look.
KENYA: The Kenyans are in short black jackets and sweatpants with "KENYA" printed in metallic gold on one wrist and one ankle. They are not wearing hats or gloves. They look...unprepared. And kind of chilly.
KOSAVO: These athletes are in hip-length navy jackets with "KOSOVA" in yellow on the back, possibly with a black zip vest underneath, with black snow pants, white beanies, and black gloves.
KYRGYZSTAN: The athletes are in short white puffer jackets and navy pants, with white felt hats with a short upturned brim and a small tassel, and white gloves.
LATVIA: From Italian designer Don John, the Latvians are in knee-length white puffer coats over bright red pants, with white beanies bearing an insignia of three red stars on the cuff. Several of the groups are wearing gloves, either solid black or white with black palms.
LEBANON: The Lebanese team is in a grey-green jacket with "LIBAN" in white down the front, over red hooded puffer coats (one of the athletes is not wearing his outer coat, so we can see the long sleeves), with black pants, and darker green beanies.
LIECHTENSTEIN: This team is in short red coats with black zippers, black pants, black beanies, and black gloves. Other than the vivid red, the look is pretty nondescript, but most of the athletes are strutting like they're the coolest dudes in town (which, to be fair, they pretty much are), so they're making it work.
LITHUANIA: Team Lithuania is in long dark grey puffer coats and bright green pants, with knit scarves in color blocks of bright green, red, and gold, green knit gloves with gold fingers, beanies with bands of red, green, and gold with gold pompoms, and white boots. It sounds like a lot, but the chunkiness of the color blocks and the dark coat make it work.
LUXEMBOURG: Team Lux has pale blue thigh-length jackets with black pants, gray beanies, and black gloves.
NORTH MACEDONIA: These athletes are in thigh-length navy blue puffer coats with matching pants, and plain navy beanies. Several athletes in the Cortina group are wearing a hip-length jacket, which seems to be the underlayer. The look is a little basic, but several of them are wrapped in the red-and-gold flag or are wearing a red and gold scarf, which livens up the look quite a bit. The flagbearer is also wearing black and white gloves.
MADAGASCAR: The team is wearing white, red, and green diagonally striped coats, with black pants, black gloves or grey-green mittens, and white beanies; the coats, pants, and beanies all have a red and green crest on them, which ties the look together somewhat. A lot of them are also dancing and chanting, which always adds numbers to your fashion score.
MALAYSIA: Wan Hor Fong of Universal Traveller Malaysia created the team's ensemble (note: Malaysia only has a single athlete at the Games, and I couldn't find a photo online so this is a publicity photo posted by the designer), which includes a knee-length white puffer coat with "MALAYSIA" down the front in black lettering, a black-lined hood, white pants, a white earflap beanie with black lines and a flag insignia on the cuff, black and white gloves, and Bean boots.
MALTA: The Maltese team is in hip-length navy puffer jackets with red zippers, navy pants, red beanies, and white mittens. The red zippers really make everything pop.
MOROCCO: The Moroccans' uniform is a red jacket with an angular black panel on the front outlined in white, with red pants, a black knit cap with a red logo, and black gloves.
MEXICO: The Mexican team is wearing a Charly-designed light gray hooded jacket with pink and grey embroidery forming a yoke and green shading to grey ombre sleeves, black pants, mixed styles of black hats (ballcap, beanie, headband), and black gloves.
MOLDOVA: The Moldovians are in hip-length light blue puffer coats with matching gloves, black pants, dark gold knit scarves, and bright red beanies. The colors look odd together until you see they're the colors of the flag.
MONACO: Monaco's sole athlete/flagbearer is in metallic silver pants and platform moon boots, a white sweater with metallic silver sleeves and a large metallic silver snowflake on the front, and a white beanie. His outfit looks like an "unusual materials" sewing challenge where the material is a Mylar blanket. [Note: We see later that this is what all the flagbearers wear to bring their flags into the arena later in the ceremony.]
MONGOLIA: These uniforms were created in a collaboration with cashmere manufacturer Goyol, and are based on a traditional high-collared cloak called a deel, which is worn worn for special occasions, with a tall fur hat. The deel is midnight blue and has an embroidered brown belt edged with bright pink, the matching blue conical hat is edged with white fur, white scarves with "MONGOLIA" in black lettering, and white gloves. The flagbearer's deel has more elaborate embroidered trim and short sleeves, and is open in front, revealing an ice blue satin dress with the same embroidered belt as the others.
MONTENEGRO: The athletes are in dark grey jackets with darker grey inserts on the sides and the bottom of the sleeves, with black pants (one group has noticeably slimmer cut pants), and some have black or gray beanies. A few people have black and white gloves, and one person has a green version of the jacket.
NIGERIA: Nigeria's single athlete and his coach have bright green & white vertically striped short jackets with a short fringe detail across the chest, wide-legged green pants with white cargo pockets, and white traditional style headpieces.
NORWAY: Dale of Norway incorporated traditional geometric Nordic patterns in the team's white jackets with blue-grey-lined hoods and the word "NORGE" on the back in blue with a blue stripe above and a red stripe below, blue-gray pants, red and white traditional wool quarter-zip sweaters, red beanies, blue-gray mittens. and gray and tan boots. A few athletes are wearing their sweaters tucked in, with white suspenders over them.
Fun Fact: Dale of Norway has dressed Team Norway at the Olympics for 70 years, its first time being at the 1956 Olympics which were also held in Cortina d'Ampezzo!
NEW ZEALAND: This is the first time the team's uniforms were designed by a NZ-based company, in this case, outdoor wear maker Kathmandu. The uniform includes a black puffer coat with large cargo pockets, black pants, a black beanie or headband, and white mittens with black palms. The flagbearers are also wearing the traditional feathered cloak called a kākahu. With the exception of the flagbearer, it looks boring. But warm.
NETHERLANDS: Designed by Dutch company Denham, the orange and black color scheme is a nod to the 1972 Dutch Olympic team uniform. Athletes are in hip-length orange puffer coats with black zippers, black and orange pants, orange beanies with oversized black pompoms, and bright orange sneakers (apparently that's where some people drew the line; there are also more than a few non-orange shoes in each group). A few people are wearing black gloves.
PAKISTAN: The team's sole competitor and flagbearer is wearing a diagonally divided green and white knee-length jacket and matching pants, with a white ballcap and a white scarf tucked into his collar. This is a great look.
POLAND: The Polish team is wearing knee-length pale gray coats with black zippers and the word "POLSKA" down the front in red lettering, over darker gray pants, with red knit hats and white boots with red details, please black gloves for some groups. There also seemed to be a zip-front red layer underneath the coat. And these people were PARTYING. My favorite was the girl being carried overhead in a split. And the guy carrying her.
PUERTO RICO: Team PR is wearing thigh-length white coats over red flared pants with black inserts at the hem, with bright blue fur bucket hats and red gloves. Their flag bearer is wearing a high-low ruffled white skirt, tall white boots, and a cropped red jacket designed to look like the flag over a black jersey. She has red silk flowers in her hair instead of a hat.
PORTUGAL: This team is wearing hip-length white jackets with black zippers and trim, navy pants, and black gloves, beanies, and boots.
ROMANIA: The Romanians are in hip-length white puffer coats with a purplish-blue pattern at the bottom and on one sleeve, dark blue pants, white beanies, and black gloves. Several people appear to have wide black suspenders dangling beneath their jackets.
SAN MARINO: The team is wearing long navy jackets with baby blue stripes on the underside of the sleeves and baby blue lining the hood, with navy pants and no hats or gloves.
SERBIA: The Serbs have knee-length black puffer coats with white yokes, white fur-trimmed hoods, and white sleeves, and a wide red band running down the front of the coat, over navy pants, with navy beanies with a large red insignia on the front.
SINGAPORE: These athletes are wearing knee-length taupe coats with black pants, cream knit scarves tucked inside their collars, and black gloves. They look very elegant but also vaguely clerical.
SLOVAKIA: This team is in bright blue mottled short puffer jackets, bright blue pants, blue and cream fleece beanies with a similar pattern, matching blue and cream fleece jackets as an underlayer, and some of the groups have matching bright blue gloves.
SLOVENIA: Team Slovenia has calf-length white coats with navy yokes edged with wide lime green stripes, over blue pants, with white beanies and two-toned lime green gloves.
SPAIN: The Spanish team is wearing hip-length red jackets with gold shoulder patches and gold hood linings, red pants with gold triangles at the hip (and gold lining, which shows when a few athletes cuff the pants), black beanies with red pompoms, and black gloves.
SOUTH AFRICA: The South African uniform is a short white hooded jacket with forest green inserts at the sides and triangles at the bottom and green hood lining, with slim fitting white pants, forest green beanies with small pompoms, and white gloves.
SWEDEN: Designed by the Japanese company Uniqlo, which has been teaming with Sweden for the past 7 Olympic cycles, the Swedes are wearing long navy jackets with gold zippers and "SWEDEN" in gold across the back, navy pants, gold or blue scarves, gold or blue beanies with striped cuffs and pompoms, and navy sneakers with gold soles (some groups are in black sneakers).
SWITZERLAND: Team Swiss is in red jackets with a white hem and white swirled patterns across the red, white pants with gray knee patches, white beanies with "SUI+" in metallic silver on the cuff, gray gloves with black palms, and white boots with black trim. The Predazzo contingent is really working the crowd!
CHINESE TAIPEI: This team is wearing thigh-length (well, knee-length on one rather petite woman) hooded white coats with black zippers, black pants, and black gloves with long cuffs.
THAILAND: Team Thai is in bright blue jackets with red, white, and blue stripes across the chest and white inserts on the sides, with matching blue pants (the flagbearers have black pants), and black beanies. Several of the athletes put their hands together and bow to the camera as they pass, which is simply delightful.
TRINIDAD & TOBAGO: The team is wearing black hooded short puffer jackets, red (men) or white (women) pants, and black beanies.
TURKIYE: Designed by Adidas, the Turkish team is in knee-length red coats with "TURKIYE" in white lettering down the front, black pants, red beanies, and black gloves.
UKRAINE: Echoing the colors of their flag, the Ukrainians are wearing short gold hooded jackets, blue pants with black inserts at the ankle, blue beanies, black boots, and black gloves.
HUNGARY: Wearing an Adidas design, the Hungarians are in knee-length white coats with black zippers and "HUNGARY" down the front in black lettering, dark green pants and beanies, and black mittens.
URUGUAY: Designed by Pelliot, the Uruguayan uniform is a calf-length white hooded puffer coat, white pants, white gloves, and no hat.
UZBEKISTAN: This team is in thigh-length baby blue jackets, slightly lighter blue pants, a white scarf with "UZBEKISTAN" in aqua lettering and lime green and blue stripes at the end, a white beanie with blue and lime green stripes on the cuff, and blue and white sneaker-style boots.
VENEZUELA: The Venezuelan contingent of two is dressed in bright blue slim fit pants, white jackets with one blue and one red sleeve and a gold collar, a navy ballcap with "VEN" in gold on the front and a red underbrim, and black shoes with white laces.
USA: Here comes Team USA! Dressed in Ralph Lauren, they are wearing knee-length hooded white wool coats (the flagbearer has a navy coat) with large wooden buttons, over knit sweaters bearing a red, white, and blue flower pattern as well as the US flag and the Olympic rings, white pants, work boots with red laces, and navy hats with braided strings emblazoned with a flower pattern matching the sweater.
FRANCE: From the French design house Le Coq Sportif, the French team uniforms reflect an "icy color palette" evoking the mountains, and also the tricolor French flag. Athletes are in white belted cargo jackets and pants, with gray and white vertical striped beanies, with pink and blue hood linings and matching pink and blue patterned gloves, and gray and white moon boots. Many are also carrying metallic gold water bottles in their voluminous pockets.
ITALY: We end the parade with our hosts, the Italians (who enter to a funky remix of Rossini's "Figaro"), and of COURSE Team Italy was dressed by Armani; specifically, Emporio Armani’s sports brand, EA7. They are wearing charcoal gray short jackets with a red, white, and green striped hem and cuffs and red, white, and green lined hoods, gray pleated pants, white knit pompom beanies with narrow red and green vertical stripes and "ITALIA" vertically in black lettering between the stripes for women or headbands with "ITALIA" printed horizontally for men, and black gloves.
The Parade of Nations is over, and now we get back to the spectacular performances! The announcer officially welcomes the athletes, and we cut to a video showing Italian actress Sabrina Impacciatore sitting on her couch, apparently watching the telecast, when suddenly huge versions of the Olympic stoat mascots appear behind her. She hugs them, then opens a book on Olympic history and is pulled into the book as a cartoon version of herself, zooming through past Winter Olympics venues (also in cartoon form). We go as far back as Chamonix in 1924, until cartoon Sabrina falls off an eagle, landing...as herself, wearing a gold and silver catsuit with a silver jacket, in the middle of the Olympic stadium in Milan, surrounded by dancers wearing historic Olympic costumes. Various characters move her around the stage through the scenes and eras, reenacting various winter sports in different decades, until, having traded her silver jacket for a shaggy fur coat, which she sheds as she is surrounded by snowboarders, she wanders onto the empty stage, running to the center and dancing, calling other dancers, similarly clad in metallic catsuits but also in white fur helmets with sunglasses on their heads, to join her. There is dancing, there is hugging, and there are fake snowflakes falling.
The stage clears and a beautiful woman in a black sequin gown begins to awkwardly walk down the stairs. It is Italian actress and comedian Brenda Lodigiani, whose microphone is not functioning so she mimes her speech, since Italians speak with their hands anyway. (Maybe it's funnier if you're Italian, but I didn't find it especially funny.) The microphone works again just in time for her to say, "Welcome to Italy!"
There is dramatic lighting as a huge group of flagbearers enter the ceremony. They are all wearing metallic silver pants and white sweaters with metallic silver sleeves and a large metallic snowflake on the front, and white beanies. The file onto the dais and ramp between the two ranks of seated athletes. In time with the music, they all raise their flags and tips them from side to side in unison, a visible symbol of "armonia," or harmony.
The announcer introduces the President of the Italian Olympic Organizing Committee, Giovanni Malago, and the President of the IOC, Kirsty Coventry. Malago welcomes the crowd to Milano and Cortina, reminding them of Italy's history of hosting the Games, and mentions the values of excellence, friendship, and self-respect personified by the Games. He describes the beauty of Italy as a gift to be shared with the world, offering the beautiful statement: "Tradition is not the worship of ashes, but the preservation of fire." After thanking the usual suspects and expressing his national pride and his hope for "armonia" engendered by the universal language of sport, he turns the microphone over to Coventry.
Coventry greets the usual dignitaries and again welcomes the crowd, addressing the athletes in all the venues, recalling her own Olympic experiences. She ends by thanking the many volunteers assisting in the Games, and all the torchbearers, as we anticipate the lighting of the Olympic cauldron. She tells the athletes, "Let your flame spark hope. Let it ignite joy, and light the way for all of us." She then cedes the floor to Italian President Sergio Mattarella.
Matterella speaks briefly in Italian, flames shoot up from around the arena stage, and we cut to another video montage, this time of the Olympic flame. We see the torch lit in Athens, escorted on planes, handed off, travelling over bridges and past historic Italian locations including the Colosseum, in a whitewater raft, carried by athletes in wheelchairs, through crowded streets and empty caverns, past the Parthenon, being put on a helicopter and climbing up a mountain, traveling in a horse-drawn cart and on horseback and bicycle, past cheering crowds of every shape and size, finally approaching the arena. We cut back to the interior of the arena, where Andrea Bocelli sings Nessun Dorma while wearing (I can only assume) an Armani suit. Could anything be more Italian than that? As the song draws to an end, two torch bearers slowly walk past Bocelli, passing the torch to a trio of athletes at the edge of the stage, and they slowly follow the spiral of the stage, passing the torch to a second trio as the song ends. The music changes as this trio walks to the outside of the spiral, leaving the arena.
The music changes and a group of black and white-clad dancers enters, accompanying a tall figure in white. It is Italian rapper Ghali, who begins to recite a poem as the dancers swirl around him. Recorded voices in Italian and English join in and the dance continues.
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