Thai fashion brands we wish would outfit our national Olympics team

Our national team has been rocking the same getup in previous games. It’s time for a change.

We’ve seen the confidence boost Telfar Clemens has injected into Team Liberia with his creations, but our national team’s wardrobe lineup leaves much to be desired. We don’t have to do the same and do what’s safe. Why not change it up and create a win-win situation for both athletes and designers? Here’s a list of brands we want to see on the world stage that will help our athletes look the part and shine at the Olympics.

Dry Clean Only

As the only Thai brand to ever hit the shelves at Colette in Paris, Dry Clean Only is a name that deserves a spot on the list. Known for its mishmash of streetwear and vintage silhouettes, the Beyoncé-approved brand has a penchant for turning vintage graphic t-shirts into statement pieces. This year, they launched a collection with Adidas featuring some of their signature silhouettes like puffed sleeves and balloon shorts. By collaborating with a well-known sportswear brand, Dry Clean Only has shown that old-timey shapes and forms can look hip on an athletic wear brand. It’s certainly a unique look that will make our athletes standout. But as a label that works only with stock fabrics and places detailed attention to handcrafting their clothing, producing large orders to outfit our Olympians can prove a Herculean task.

V Activewear

V Activewear has proven to be quite the go-to swimwear label for the ladies, and we can’t disagree with them. Founder Teerut Wongwatanasin’s knack for colour blocking has resulted in minimalistic swimwear pieces that could also work as regular clothes. From canoeing to sailing and swimming, we can see these pieces doing their part to help Thai aquatic sports athletes compete in style.

Issue

Known for popularizing Buddhist prints, Issue has always created sporty looks that showcased our cultural eclecticism in their prints. Their diverse line spans ready-to-wear to accessories and everyday innerwear, ensuring a complete selection for athletes across all disciplines. We can see them creating a twist on the Thai flag or signature prints that artistically symbolize our national identity. Though they’re known for creating bold prints that might not appeal to everyone’s tastes, we think their clothes would make for a very dramatic entrance and exit at the Olympics.

Greyhound

A household name in the Thai fashion industry, Greyhound pieces are known for their edgy but refined streetwear-inspired looks. Spanning the range of ready-to-wear and shoes and accessories, we’ve come to love Greyhound for its versatility. Black and white are their forte, but they’re great with solid colours with the occasional splash of uncomplicated prints. Though sportswear isn’t within Greyhound’s arena, we think they’d make a great fashion representative for an Olympics game in the middle of a pandemic. Just take a look at their face masks and you’ll see why these should make an appearance at the games.

Floétique

Floétique is the latest athleisure brainchild of Thailand’s beloved Sukhahuta sisters behind Sretsis. Touting the name of its highly successful sister brand, Floétique is off to a great start with its 90s-inspired baseball jackets and sweatsuits. Extra brownie points for the brand goes to their use of the Thai flag’s colours in their existing collections, which we can picture our athletes rocking while strutting down the stadium. There’s a great emphasis on comfort, and the sweatpants and sweatshirts would be the perfect official loungewear partner for Thai athletes. Though they’re a relatively new label, Floétique has managed to convert IG-obsessed fashionistas to start working out. It’s a commendable feat for a new kid on the block, and with support from the Sretsis team, they’ll be just as capable of whipping up something for Team Thailand.

ASV by Asava

It’s quite obvious why ASV makes the list. Asava’s sister line has always mixed sportiness with an urban sensibility. From safari-style jumpsuits to preppy collared dresses, ASV demonstrates their ability to produce pieces that are both functional and worthy of a stage presence. With a palette of muted tones like peach, lavender, and sand, their colour choices capture the essence of the characteristics Thais embody: being fun and colourful without the need to stand out as an individual, but to harmonize as a team. Ironically, the softness of this colour palette, which isn’t frequently used in sports collections, will help them stand out amongst the sea of blacks, whites, blues, and the occasional tinge of neon green. Despite the fact they don’t design menswear, we are still excited to see their elegantly practical pieces on our female athletes.