Special Reports
A special report is content that is edited and produced by the special reports unit within The Irish Times Content Studio. It is supported by advertisers who may contribute to the report but do not have editorial control.

Team Ireland’s sustainable style

Laura Weber designed the collection with the centenary of Ireland’s Olympic debut in mind

Fashion designer Laura Weber, in her New York studio, is famous within the fashion industry for her embroidery and embellishments.
Fri Jul 12 2024 - 00:00

Even before they get to the starting blocks Team Ireland will have won in the style stakes.

Their official opening and closing ceremony outfits have been designed by Irish-born Manhattan-based designer Laura Weber, founder of LW Pearl Atelier, a couture and celebrity atelier with interests that range from formalwear to high-end athleisure.

Weber and her partner Joseph Rein combine luxury and performance and have a ready-to-wear collection that represents a modern take on Irish field and country clothing, with tailoring inspired by 1920s and 1950s classic cuts.

This year marks the 100th anniversary of Ireland’s Olympic debut, in 1924, which also took place in Paris. It was the first time Ireland competed in the event as an independent country.

READ MORE

For the 2024 Olympics, Weber has designed bespoke outfits consisting of two jackets, a fine knit T-shirt, trousers and trainers.

Weber is famous within the fashion industry for her embroidery and embellishments. Each bespoke Team Ireland jacket is embroidered with the athlete’s county emblem as well as four shamrocks, in different techniques, to represent the four provinces. Each jacket face is also embroidered with the athlete’s name.

The designer spent three years working on the initial designs before asking a representative group of Olympic athletes for their input. Their greatest concerns were about overheating, which is why she chose Eco-hybrid taffeta for her suits, a lightweight, soft touch, sustainable fabric made using recycled T-shirts and plastic bottles.

Unusually for a suit jacket, the back vent opens directly on to the athlete’s back, to further aid breathability. The opening ceremony jackets are white, a nod to the Olympic Games’ Greek heritage which will also help keep them cool.

The closing ceremony jacket, which is green, was designed in the style of vintage 1980s and 1990s oversized tracksuits. It features special strapping around the neckline. When the athlete wears their medal, the strapping forms the shape of the star which, even without a medal, each of them is.