The Milan Cortina Winter Olympics are set to be a playground for luxury brands, capturing attention as the Italian fashion capital embraces wealthy visitors and garners a massive global audience.
High-end brands have unveiled boutiques within Olympic venues, outfitted national teams, and created exclusive capsule collections inspired by winter sports. This growing integration of fashion and sports is a strategic move to elevate brand visibility.
“Luxury brands have been moving toward sports for quite some time… The Winter Olympics offer a prime opportunity to strengthen this bond,” shared Emanuela Prandelli, associate professor of Fashion & Luxury Management at Bocconi University in Milan. She highlighted a shift among affluent consumers who now favor unique experiences over conventional luxury goods.
“The aim is to connect with a wider audience united by the spirit of competition and the sparkle of the event, appealing to aspirational clients while giving established luxury consumers fresh reasons to explore offerings,” she added.
Armani’s EA7 sports line, serving as the official outfitter of Italy’s Winter Sports Federation since 2022, will again showcase its designs at the Olympics, while Alpine ski champion Sofia Goggia represents the brand.
Ralph Lauren, having dressed the American Olympic team since 2008, continues its role for this year’s Games.
The Winter Olympics will take place from February 6-22.
New Boutique Openings on Cortina’s Corso Italia
For Moncler, these Games signify a comeback after nearly sixty years. Originally established as a mountain equipment supplier, the brand last graced the Olympic stage in Grenoble in 1968.
The Italian outerwear icon, with skier Lucas Pinheiro Braathen as its ambassador, is set to sponsor both the opening and closing ceremonies for the Brazilian Olympic Committee, in addition to the Brazilian Alpine ski team.
“Luxury brands increasingly view the Olympics as a cultural platform that can showcase craftsmanship on a global stage, especially when the host city resonates with their heritage,” noted Noemie Voyer, fashion expert at Luxurynsight, drawing parallels with LVMH’s collaboration for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.
This strategy is palpable in Cortina d’Ampezzo, an elegant town in the Dolomites that has attracted affluent visitors since hosting the Winter Games in 1956.
Luxury brands are eager to refresh or establish boutiques in the Alpine resort, home to just over 5,000 residents.
Prada and Loro Piana have recently launched new shops on the prominent Corso Italia, and notable brands like Dior, Louis Vuitton, and Swatch have upgraded their retail spaces. Additionally, the locally cherished multi-brand store Franz Kraler has undergone significant renovations to welcome the expected influx of visitors.
