Team UAE's designer outfits for Paris Olympics revealed

Emirati label A Friend of Mine by Xpoze says project allowed it to 'represent our beloved nation on the world stage'

A Friend of Mine by Xpoze says it designed the Team UAE outfits as 'a tribute to our country's spirit'. Photo: @afrndofmine / Instagram

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The team behind the UAE's Paris Olympics uniform says it was "a profound privilege" to design the outfits.

On Friday, Dubai label A Friend of Mine by Xpoze posted images of the country's athletes in the stylish kits on Instagram, hours before the opening ceremony is set to begin.

"It is with the greatest pride and honour that we announce our commission to design the United Arab Emirates' Olympic uniform for the 2024 Paris Olympics," the brand says on its Instagram Stories.

"The opportunity is not just a professional milestone but a profound privilege, allowing us to represent our beloved nation on the world stage through a craft we are truly passion about. Creating this uniform is a tribute to our country's spirit and a testament to our dedication and love for our homeland."

Streetwear brand A Friend of Mine by Xpoze was founded by three Emirati friends Rawdha Al Shaffar, Buthaina Al Marri and Fatma Al Muddhareb. On its website, it describes itself as an "everyday wear fashion label that stands for everything comfortable, minimal and effortless".

The Olympic uniforms are predominantly white. The looks include unisex sweatshirts with the name of the country in bright red Arabic letters across the front. The UAE flag is on the chest, alongside the words "Team UAE" and the Olympics logo, with a stylised logo of A Friend of Mine on the other side.

Another look includes sweatshirts and T-shirts with a large grey panel running across the front and sleeves on which "UAE" is printed. These looks are paired with white track pants with the UAE flag printed next to the pocket.

Some athletes can be seen sporting hijabs with their Olympic outfits.

This is not the first major project for A Friend of Mine by Xpoze. It made news in 2017 when it won a design competition to create loungewear for Etihad Airways. Launched a year later, the collection for men and women was offered to first class guests, as well as those staying in The Residence onboard the Airbus A380 fleet.

At the Paris Games, the UAE will be represented by 14 athletes, the most since the London Games in 2012. They will compete in five sports: equestrian, judo, cycling, swimming and athletics.

Equestrian competitor Omar Al Marzooqi and cyclist Safiya Al Sayegh will be the flag-bearers for opening ceremony. Al Sayegh is the first Emirati female cyclist to qualify for the Olympics.