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Team USA's Gymnastics Leotards Are Shimmering with Thousands of Crystals
The leotards, designed by GK Elite, are covered in Swarovski crystals and inspired by Parisian haute couture.
GK Elite stuck the landing when designing Team USA's gymnastics uniforms for the upcoming Paris Olympics.
The leotards were recently revealed to the public ahead of the Opening Ceremony, with Team USA's own men and women posing in the stylish ensembles.
This was a moment years in the making, according to GK Elite Design Director Jeanne Diaz, who consulted the gymnasts when they began the design process two years ago. "They overwhelmingly, unanimously told us that for the Olympics, they want to wear red, white and blue. ... The more crystals, the better," Diaz told NBC News.
From there, the team began to craft their vision, taking inspiration from '80s fashion, the American flag, and Parisian haute couture. "Paris is known to be the fashion capital of the world, and we know all eyes are on Team USA, so we made sure that we had that cohesion of fashion throughout but also that the whole collection was unmistakably Team USA," Diaz shared.
RELATED: See Team USA's Medal-Worthy Olympic Uniforms and Gear Ahead of the Summer Games
Team USA's Unboxing
In the end, they created eight stunning uniforms that the women will wear throughout the Olympics, each with their own patriotic titles: Go for Glory, Luminous Legacy, Star Spangled Shine, Freedom's Grace, American Anthem, USA Elegance, Patriotic Poise, and Sovereign Sparkle.
Cameras were recording when Simone Biles, Jade Carey, Suni Lee, Hezly Rivera, and Jordan Chiles, as well as alternates Leanne Wong and Joscelyn Roberson, had a first look at the iconic ensembles. So, what did they think?
"Wait, this is beautiful!" Biles said in the video, which debuted on TODAY.
Fans can likely expect to see the women's team in the Go for Glory leotard during the Team Finals on July 30 as it is the most emblematic of the American flag, according to the New York Times. The Go for Glory leotard was specifically inspired by the ones worn by the Magnificent Seven at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, where the U.S. women's gymnastics team — comprised of athletes Shannon Miller, Dominique Moceanu, Dominique Dawes, Kerri Strug, Amy Chow, Jaycie Phelps, and Amanda Borden — won Olympic gold for the very first time.
Pearls and Crystals Galore
In total, the eight uniforms are adorned with more than 47,000 Swarovski crystals. What's more, for the first time in Team USA's history, the leotards also feature pearls as a tribute to Paris, which is arguably the capital of fashion.
From afar, the looks appear to be your typical Team USA leotard, but Diaz told the New York Times that there's more than meets the eye with these looks. Take the Star Spangled leotard, which is influenced by the works of Georges Seurat, the French painter credited for the creation of pointillism.
The Freedom's Grace, American Anthem, and USA Elegance leotards, meanwhile, are inspired by France's art nouveau movement. "But also, to have the American tie-in, from 1920s old Hollywood glamor,” Diaz told NYT.
While the leotards were specially designed for the team, aspiring Olympians can purchase replicas of the uniforms on GKElite.com.
