When the U.S. gymnastics team takes the stage in Paris for the 2024 Olympics at the end of July, they will do so in the most spectacular leotards this country has ever seen. Adorned with thousands of Swarovski crystals, these outfits are set to shine like never before.
The leotards, one of which boasts over 10,000 crystals, are designed to make a statement. The women’s team — consisting of Jade Carey, Sunisa Lee, Simone Biles, Jordan Chiles, and Hezly Rivera — has eight leotards each to bring to Paris. While they will wear the same leotard during the team competition, they have the freedom to choose their attire for other events.
Particularly stunning is the Luminous Legacy leotard, featuring more than 10,000 crystals on a dark blue and black fabric. Jeanne Diaz, the design director of GK Elite, told The New York Times, “The more crystals, the more impact, the more the leotards are talked about.”
“These leotards are really evening-wear looks,” Diaz added, noting that GK Elite has been working on these designs for the past two years. “We wanted to lean into that hard for Paris, the fashion capital of the world. So we utilized a lot of high fashion elements, looked at a lot of corsetry, at Art Nouveau architecture, at old Hollywood glamour of the 1920s.”
This year, GK Elite also incorporated pearls into the leotards for the first time, paying homage to Parisian fashion. Despite their opulent appearance, the leotards are designed with functionality in mind. “First and foremost, it is a performance garment; we have to think about their comfort and movement,” Diaz explained to Vogue. “It moves with the body so that their mind isn’t on what they’re wearing.”
To ensure ease of movement, GK Elite used four-way stretch fabric, preventing the leotards from shifting during performances. Additionally, they opted for more matte fabrics, aligning with current trends over the shinier materials of the past.
While not every leotard features 10,000 crystals, they all have a significant amount. This is notable given that GK Elite thought they had maxed out their crystal capacity in previous Olympics. The 2016 leotards had 5,000 crystals each, and the 2020 leotards had just over 6,000. This year’s designs go beyond those numbers, adding an extra touch of elegance with pearls.
The white Freedom’s Grace leotard, for example, features almost 1,000 hand-placed pearls per leotard. Despite the added weight — about a pound due to the crystals — Diaz noted that the gymnasts love the sparkle, and GK Elite plans to continue incorporating as many crystals as possible.
“I hope the athletes feel confident and proud to represent Team USA,” Diaz told Vogue. “The leotards were meant to evoke that feeling of when an athlete wins a medal and receives an American flag to drape around themselves; I hope that viewers and the athletes feel that emotion.”
With their dazzling leotards, the U.S. gymnastics team is set to not only compete but also captivate audiences with their stunning attire.