By Colleen Howe and Josh Arslan
BEIJING, Feb 6 (Reuters) – As athletes from around the world touched down in Milan, Italy, this week for the Winter Olympics, bundled in designer sweaters and puffer jackets, one team stood out.
Mongolia’s competitors made waves in their official uniform of ornate blue cashmere robes, known as deel, trimmed with red and yellow silk and embroidered with horn motifs.
“The design is inspired by the traditional Mongolian deel garment that was commonly worn during the 13th and 15th centuries, when Mongolians were at the height of their powers,” Ariunaa Byambakhuu, chief executive of official costume designer Goyol Cashmere, told Reuters.
The designs, which also include traditional conical hats, represent the “warrior spirit” of Mongolians, who traditionally wore the deel to stay warm during harsh Mongolian winters, according to the company.
The deel dates back to the era of Genghis Khan, who conquered lands spanning from the Pacific Ocean to the Danube River to form the largest empire in history.
Fittingly for the Olympics, which kick off on Friday, the costumes also harken back to Mongolia’s centuries-old tradition of winter sports, when competitors played ice-based games using the anklebone of a deer.
“The main distinguishing feature of our uniforms…is that we use Mongolian cashmere,” Byambakhuu said. Mongolia is a major global producer of the fabric made from the long-wooled goats roaming its grasslands.
But she added that the uniforms also spotlight Mongolia’s value beyond raw materials and show that it can produce globally recognised finished clothing products.
“Blue is a spiritual and national symbol tied to the sky, as the sky has long been considered as the god in the steppes,” Goyol’s creative director Munkhbayasgalan Delgerbat said.
Red and gold, the colours of the Mongolian flag, represent national pride, she added.
“The costume isn’t trying to look ‘international’ or trend-driven – it’s very clearly rooted in who we are.”
The costumes are part of a broader trend of traditional attire experiencing a revival in Asia, sometimes encouraged by governments who feel it promotes national pride.
China’s Hanfu – the trend of posing in elaborate costumes from bygone dynasties, often for social media portraits – has spiked in recent years, while the Thais have taken to wearing styles from the reigns of past kings.
The Mongolian uniform also included a “casual set” of modern cashmere sweaters with mountain, water, and tent motifs.
In Mongolia’s capital of Ulaanbaatar, residents said the designs reflect national heritage while still feeling modern and wearable.
One Ulaanbaatar resident, Sengesambuu Senjid, said the outfit made him feel Mongolia’s athletes “have no choice but to succeed,” as he wished them success at the Games.
(Reporting by Colleen Howe and Josh Arslan)
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