Local Designers Announced For Team Bermuda

July 26, 2024 | 3 Comments

Team Bermuda will dazzle today [July 26] at the Paris Olympics Opening Ceremony, as the Bermuda Olympic Association announces local fashion designers Courtney Clay, Channing Dill, and Alana Wade as the official designers for the 2024 Olympic Games.

A spokesperson said, “Clay is credited with the custom scarf, tie, and pocket squares. Dill created a unique and captivating design for the women athletes’ attire, and Alana Wade designed a Gombey-inspired pin to be worn with the opening ceremony attire.”

Clay, of Courtney Clay Studio, who was recently announced as the recipient of the Best of Bermuda 2024 Award for Local Fashion Design, shared, “Being chosen to design custom accessories for the Bermuda Olympics team has been an honor. Knowing that I can represent my country through design is a dream come true. I am very grateful to have been given this opportunity.”

The spokesperson said, “The custom design includes abstract elements that represent Bermuda. The white lines represent the white roofs seen from the skies. The triangles symbolize the Bermuda Triangle. The colors chosen highlight the Bermuda pink sand and the blue ocean water. The abstract swirls create the motion of the waves and how they take shape with the tide.”

Dill, owner of Native by Channing Elizabeth, added, “Being selected as a designer for the 2024 Olympic team has been the most impactful and reassuring opportunity of my career. This experience is not only a pinnacle of my professional journey but also a deeply emotional and fulfilling honor. We’ve produced a classic silhouette with triangle details that give a nod to Bermuda, with the upbeat pink and blue color palette that Bermuda is known for. I am incredibly proud and grateful for the chance to contribute to such a monumental event.”

Alana Wade, Bermuda Gombey Warrior regalia maker, stated, “The peacock feather symbolizes royalty, pride, and strength; adorned with a mirror that can fend off evil spirits and bring good luck; and completed with a traditional wool tassel that symbolizes the linkages and connection to our enslaved ancestors. The Bermuda Gombey is the ultimate symbol of Bermudian culture, freedom, and unity, the traditional masked dancers, drummers, and artists whose spirit of resilience is carried with our Olympians today.”

The spokesperson said, “The designs will make their Paris debut at the Olympics Opening Ceremony on the scenic River Seine, the first ever to take place outside of a stadium venue, today, Friday, July 26th, 2024, at 2:30 Bermuda time, with coverage exclusively on NBC.

“The BOA encourages the community to stay current on all Paris 2024 updates and content ahead of the Olympic Games from July 26th to August 11th. Be sure to follow the BOA on all social platforms [Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok: @NOCBermuda; Facebook: @Bermuda Olympic Association].