In 2022, Laura Weber, a graduate of NCAD, was given the task of designing new uniforms for Irish Olympians. She did an outstanding job and was chosen as the official outfitter for Team Ireland’s formal wear collection. Her brand, LW Pearl, will showcase her designs as athletes gear up for the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Weber’s main goal was to create clothing that would fit around 150 athletic builds comfortably, keep athletes cool during the summer, and perhaps bring them luck with a four-leaf clover. Her designs showcase her versatility as a designer, blending contemporary style, nostalgia, personalization, and smart design in the formal wear.
The Opening Ceremony, set in the city of lights, will see Irish athletes cruising down the Seine in stylish suits along with representatives from other countries. Weber delved into Olympic clothing archives dating back to the 1920s to come up with these stunning designs. She combined various looks and cultural references from different countries with performance fabrics and clothing patterns to capture an athletic aesthetic.
For the Closing Ceremony, Weber drew inspiration from the iconic tricolour jacket worn by former Irish track and field athlete Sonia O’Sullivan at the 2000 Olympics. The vintage 80s and 90s tracksuit style was influenced by O’Sullivan’s Olympic track jacket, offering comfort and style to athletes. The design includes a star-shaped strapping around the neck to frame the athletes’ medals.
Irish symbols play a significant role in all of Weber’s designs, with four shamrocks representing the four provinces of Ireland. Each athlete will receive a leather shamrock shoe charm as a memento. Weber wanted the athletes to feel a sense of ownership over their looks, so she included their names on the inside of the jackets.
The opening ceremony jackets feature embroidered county crests for athletes to represent their home counties. Weber redesigned traditional county crests with new symbolism and colors. The jackets also include lucky four-leaf shamrock brooches and opera pockets inspired by 1924 suiting, updated to fit mobile phones in 2024.
The knit shirts underneath the jackets are made from recycled fabric, with color degradation on the sleeves to symbolize the blue sky and green grass of Ireland. The Ireland patch on the back of each jacket features tufted material to represent the grass of Ireland, paying homage to the country’s landscape.
Weber’s attention to detail and incorporation of Irish heritage in her designs make the Team Ireland uniforms truly special. Athletes will not only look stylish but will also feel comfortable and confident as they represent their country at the Paris 2024 Olympics.