As recently compiled by Highsnobiety, the Olympics has birthed some wild style moments since it was first televised in the ’30s. Even so, these style moments can be few and far between. And fair enough, regulation archery gear was never really going to whet the palette, was it?
This year, Skateboarding is an Olympic sport for the first time in the competition’s history. The oft-anti establishment sport is finally invited to the party after decades of demonization, security guard chases, and a sequence of big fat rejections from the International Olympic Committee.
But as well as skateboarding itself being accepted into the fray, we’re seeing labels and designers like Vans, Parra, Nike SB (which is sponsoring four federations and 19 athletes in Tokyo), as well as smaller skate outfits like Blind, Toy Machine and April Skateboards, at the Olympics for the very first time. It’s huge for the sport, and it’s huge for brands peddling the aesthetic.
The men’s and womens’ Street competitions saw Japan claim gold medals in both, one of which happened via 13-year-old Nishi Momiji (!!!). With the Park showdowns set to take place on August 4 and 5, no matter who comes out top in terms of medals at this year’s competition, skateboarding has already won the thing on style. Below, we’ve put together four of the best skate fits from the contenders so far.
Unfortunately for Vince and his native France, he ended up in fourth place at the Men’s Street competition. Even so, his look was a slap in the face reminder of what we’d been missing at the Games. Resplendent in all-white, save for a blue baseball cap, Milou donned some extra-baggy work pants and a breezy button-down shirt — both by Nike. His sneakers came courtesy of skate brand Globe, with which he has a signature sneaker deal.
The first of two ridiculously young competitors on this list and that one with all the medals, Rayssa Leal just brought a silver medal to Brazil in the first-ever Olympic skateboarding heat. You might remember Rayssa from Vine, the defunct platform on which she found viral fame via a heelflip in fairy wings aged just 7. She’s still at, impressing in the arena on a Parra board, Nike SB shoes, and a Brazil tee I’m putting money on being hot property, à la the country’s 2002 World Cup jersey.
Wait, how old? Yep, Japan’s Momiji Nishiya is only 13 years old and she won gold! That Nike SB x Parra official Olympics tee she has on has already sold out pretty much everywhere, but we found one on StockX — a signifier of the big waves both Nishiya and the sport’s first Games are making. While going Nike with most of her fit, Nishiya’s adidas shoe is the reminder of unity we needed.
Woah, those pants! Margielyn Didal competed in the Women’s Street competition at this year’s Olympics, also missing out on a medal. Even so, her bright orange cargos put her on the podium of standout looks. She’ll be remembered for her attitude, too, stating on the sidelines that “We’re here for each other. We cheer for each other, that’s what skateboarding is.” It’s gold from us.
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