About those outfits: Designed in Kyiv, made for Atlanta

by Roman Woronowycz

ATLANTA - No, the outfits the Ukrainian Olympic contingent wore at the opening ceremonies here on July 19 were not Oscar de la Renta's.

In the weeks prior to the beginning of the Games, some in the Ukrainian American community had suggested that the Ukrainian team would wear fashions created by the noted designer.

In fact the summer suits the men and women wore were designed and stitched in Kyiv. Valeriy Besmertny, an official of Ukraine's National Olympic Committee (NOC), explained that the men's outfits were designed by Mikhail Voronin, while the Women's Fashion Design Institute created the women's attire.

The final approval for the designs was given after consultations with several members of Ukraine's government and the NOC, including President of the NOC and Minister of Youth and Sports Valeriy Borzov, NOC First Vice-President Volodymyr Kulyk, NOC General Secretary Borys Bashenko, Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports Mykola Kostenko and Mr. Besmertny.

The cost of the lightweight creamy-tan suits and straw hats so well-suited to the Altanta heat was borne by the NOC, said Mr. Besmertny. The athletes, who were individually outfitted, will keep the clothes.

Copyright © The Ukrainian Weekly, July 28, 1996, No. 30, Vol. LXIV

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