Ermanno Scervino has designs on Azerbaijani Olympic team
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When was the last time Azerbaijan was on the fashion map? Well, the Middle Eastern country, which on a world map borders the Caspian Sea to the west and neighbors Russia, Georgia, Armenia and Iran everywhere else, appears ready to make a memorable -- and stylish -- splash at the 2012 London Olympics, having tapped European luxury brand Ermanno Scervino to design a range of outfits for the big event.
The Florence, Italy, based label, which routinely shows its collections during Milan Fashion Week, has created a range of formal and casual apparel for Azerbaijan’s athletes that meld the blue, red and green colors and the crescent moon and eight-point star symbols of the republic’s flag with the atelier’s upscale vibe. The result is a formal uniform consisting of a strong-shouldered, notch-lapel navy blue jacket made of a heavy stretch cotton jersey, paired with white chino trousers for the men and a white pencil skirt for women and pleat-front stretch cotton poplin dress shirts.
The outfits are finished off with silk twill neckties and matching (and, dare we say, sharp-looking) pocket squares for the guys bearing a tropical-looking allover print in blue, red and green. The same print is rendered on a silk twill neck scarf for the women’s uniform, which is finished off with the thinnest of red belts encircling the waist. An embroidered patch on the left breast of the jackets bears the eight-point star from the republic’s flag.
Around the Olympic village, the teams will show off water-repellent nylon track jackets color-blocked in the colors of Azerbaijan’s flag, with matching track pants in blue with white side stripes and red accent piping, screen-printed T-shirts, and other accessories including graphics-covered rolling luggage and bath towels.
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-- Adam Tschorn