Going for The Gold: Olympic Ceremony Fashion Wins and Losses

Calls for peace and harmony rang out alongside unforgettable fashion moments Feb. 6 with the 2026 Winter Olympics Opening Ceremony in Northern Italy. Looks from Mariah Carey, Snoop Dogg and the athletes stunned viewers from around the world.

Split between Milan, Livigno, Predazzo and Cortina d’Ampezzo, the 2026 Olympic games are the first to be held officially in several cities, and athletes and spectators alike are setting the tone with fashion. 

NBC, the official broadcaster of the Olympics in the United States, employed bundled-up anchors Mary Carillo and Terry Gannon with a special feature from former Olympic snowboarder Shaun White. Snoop Dogg was the correspondent for Cortina d’Ampezzo, wearing a large chain with a snowflake charm around his neck. 

Chic, on point and winter ready, these commentators led the at-home viewers into the show with personal stories and comments. White, decked in clean-cut Ralph Lauren, retold his tales of the glory days behind the commentators box for the first time. 

The showmanship of the ceremony began with a smooth and fluid dance, filling the circular stage with dancers draped in flowy silver and white togas, with a white-winged Cupid and Psyche playing out their classical myth. 

Based on Antonio Canova’s 1793 sculpture “Psyche Revived by Cupid’s Kiss,” dancers from the famed Milanese opera house Teatro alla Scala created a bustling scene with silver shimmering costumes. 

Next came the Paparazzi, with flashing lights and sharp suits, taking over the show and chasing the conductor, played by Italian actress Matilda De Angelis, who directed abstract black and white figures as three massive paint tubes descended from the ceiling of the stadium. 

As the paint spilled over the stage, monochrome Italian figures, locations and masterpieces flooded it, creating a beautiful scene that showed cultural mainstays from Italy. 

American singer Mariah Carey, dressed in a white and silver Roberto Cavalli bustier gown covered with Swarovski crystals, sang “Nel blu, dipinto di blu,” also known as “Volare” by Domenico Modugno and Johnny Dorelli, and her own song “Nothing Is Impossible.” 

Draped in a feather coat, Carey stunned in the Cavalli dress, despite a lack-luster performance with circling rumors of lip-syncing and a heavy reliance on teleprompter pronunciation guides. 

The theme for the evening was “armonia,” or “harmony,” shown in a dance number with polished performers draped in cityscape and landscape patterns. Together, they showed the harmony between the city and nature. 

The real fashion show started with the Parade of Nations, the show of each country participating in the games and their players. 

Dressed by designers and brands popular in each nation, the winter wear ranged from on-point to on thin ice. 

Some countries like Greece, Armenia and Argentina had solid outfits that really were nothing to write home about. Simple colorblock coats with pops of color were safe choices, nothing warranting a gold medal for fashion. 

Team USA’s outfits, designed by Ralph Lauren, were stylish, slick and coordinated, showing off American design and athleticism for the world stage. Matching knit hats and sweaters were worn, with white wool toggle coats and brown suede boots featuring a Team USA shield patch. 

Winter wear on thin ice included the Germany and Czechia teams, who had black ponchos and busy white jackets, respectively. The worst outfit, however, came from the sign bearers escorting the athletes, who were decked out in hooded silver cross puffers and ski sunglasses. Truly an eyesore to be seen. 

Italy’s competitors wore winter wear designed by EA7 Emporio Armani, with color-blocked black coats and pants and hints of red, white and green tri-color. Though plain, it’s in-line with current Italian fashions and incorporates Italian designers. 

The last performance before the lighting of the cauldrons was a reflection into the history of Italian music, with period-accurate clothing and inaccurate subtitles for Adriano Celentano’s 1973 hit “Prisencolinensinainciusol,” a song in gibberish meant to sound like English. 

Alberto Tomba, Deborah Compagnoni and Sofia Goggia lit the Olympic calderons in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, wearing white overcoats with yellow, red and orange flame-like designs on their shoulders. This look is subtle yet fabulous, tying the lighting ceremony together. 

Everything combined formed an opulent evening, with shimmering gowns and ready for the slopes winter wear, bringing Olympic village and those of us at home into fashion harmony. 

The Olympic Winter Games can be streamed on Peacock and will end on Feb. 22 with the closing ceremony.

Editor’s note: The images for this article were removed Feb. 17 due to copyright issues.