The Australian Commonwealth Games Team will adopt a modern, youthful and chic casual appearance when it marches into the Opening Ceremony at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games on July 23.
The Australian team will wear a contemporary range of co-ordinated casual garments and stylish accessories instead of an official team suit.
With the distinguishable colours of the Australian bushland set as its colour palette, the dress uniform will comprise a unisex hooded rainforest green jacket, complete with wattle piping, and grey gum chino pants and volley shoes. Female team members will also receive a rainforest green inverted pleat skirt with a wattle hem band.
Male and female athletes will each receive fitted grey dress shirts with coloured trims, and separate green and gold long and short sleeve polo shirts with side colour panelling.
Given the likely cooler Scottish evening temperatures, athletes will also be provided with a woollen scarf and a ribbed neckline pullover with radical thumb loops in the sleeve.
The full team dress uniform was today unveiled, appropriately in Glasgow Street in Collingwood, by Australian athletes Bianca Chatfield, Mack Horton, Belinda Hocking, Grant Nel, Jeff Riseley, Brooke Stratton, Sarah Cardwell and chef de mission Steve Moneghetti just 49 days prior to the Opening Ceremony.
The team uniform was designed and manufactured by the Australian Defence Apparel which has over 100 years experience in producing high quality ceremonial uniforms.
Australian Commonwealth Games Association Chief Executive, Perry Crosswhite, said the collaboration with ADA continued an established practice of seeking out Australian manufacturers for the uniform.
“The Australian Commonwealth Games Association (ACGA) has a long and proud tradition, and an established practice, of seeking Australian manufacturers to make, and supply the Team Formal Uniform. Since the Games began more than 80 years ago, Australia has dressed Teams in formal uniforms provided by Australian companies in most cases, made in Australia. These companies include Farmers, Fletcher Jones, the Australian Cotton Foundation, the Woolmark Company, Sportscraft, Table Eight Corporate, and now, in 2014 for Glasgow, ADA.
“For the 2014 Team Formal Uniform the ACGA was committed again to find Australian companies which were capable of designing and suppling garments which would, appropriately meet the requirements of our large and diverse 2014 Team which includes athletes and team officials of different shapes and sizes. The clothes would also have to be suitable for the Glasgow climate and for an evening Opening Ceremony. As always, most importantly the Uniform must be proudly worn by the Team.
“The journey to ADA started early in 2013 when the ACGA approached the Textile and Footwear Industry Association (TFIA) seeking advice and assistance on possible Australian companies which were still able to design and manufacture the Formal Uniform for the 2014 Team. It is no secret that over the past few years the clothing manufacturing industry in Australia has contracted however the TFIA enthusiastically was able to assist. They proposed a number of options and we eventually linked up with ADA and the design, manufacturing and supply process began.”
The ADA design team was led by Adele Walters who were given a creative licence to explore a range of comfortable dress options.
“We believe we have pushed the creative boundaries while maintaining the core integrity and pride of athletes representing their country in one of the world’s biggest sports events,” said Walters.
“The brief was to retain the traditional green and gold sports colours, but we were given the liberty to introduce fashionable design elements which moves away from the conservative.
“The biggest challenge was to produce a range of fashionable products which are appropriate and comfortable for male and female team members of varying athletic sizes. We are delighted to have met the brief and received the approval of the athletes.”
