By Tom Degun at the Olympic Park in London

games makers_uniforms_22-11-11111November 22 - London 2012 have today unveiled the designs of the retro Games Maker uniform which will be worn by around 70,000 volunteers and 6,000 London 2012 staff during the Games along with the uniform which will be worn by around 4,500 technical officials.

The uniforms will be a visible presence for the millions of spectators who will be coming to London and the UK next year, while they fulfil all the necessary practical criteria for a diverse range of Games Makers, London 2012 staff and technical officials to undertake the varied roles that will be required during the Games.

"Next summer our workforce and volunteers will be working together to deliver Olympic Games and Paralympic Games which we hope the whole country will be proud of," said London 2012 chief executive Paul Deighton (pictured far right) here, where the uniforms were officially unveiled.

"They will be high profile in London and in our venues across the UK at Games time and so it's important they look the part.

"What we've come up with is a uniform which celebrates the best of Britain's heritage in a modern and sustainable way.

games makers_uniforms_22-11-1111"Delivering the Games is hard work and so the uniform needs to be functional, however we also want our teams to wear it with pride.

"We showed it to them this morning and the response was incredibly enthusiastic."

The design of the Games Maker uniform has drawn inspiration from the heritage and culture of the UK, influenced by the historic Grenadier Guards uniform and British sporting heritage including the London 1948 Games, Wimbledon tennis and Henley Regatta.

But there is a twist that reflects British quirkiness and modern design.

The Games Maker uniform, designed by London 2012 in association with London 2012's official sportswear provider adidas, has a deep purple and poppy red colour scheme.

The colour combination is based upon a contemporary twist of a regal purple and vibrant Grenadier Guards red.

The details on the uniform are aimed at evoking the pride and heritage of the United Kingdom.

The uniform mixes key aspects from modern sportswear – including the cut, fabric and ergonomic seams – to ensure they meet comfort and functionality requirements.

Key features of the uniform include the particular cut of collar, epaulettes and singular metal buttons.

The jacket has a turn-back feature to suit different arm lengths.

games makers_uniforms_22-11-111111Different coloured epaulettes will identify specific groups, with white for medical staff, red for team leaders and green for anti-doping personnel.

Games Makers who will be volunteering and working at both the Olympic and Paralympic Games will have the same uniform.

The logo will change on the back and front of the jacket from Olympic to Paralympic and Games Makers will receive new t-shirts and a hat.

However, the trousers, shoes and other accessories will remain the same.

London 2012, in association with British retailer and London 2012's official clothing and homeware supplier Next, designed the formal wear uniform that will be worn by technical officials during the London 2012 Games.

The formal wear is also inspired by British heritage but with a modern twist.

Key features of the technical officials' uniform include engraved buttons with Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament, embroidery under the collar featuring the distinctive London sky line, the official's oath as a label and lining inside the suit featuring iconic London buildings including the Gherkin and the London Eye.

Technical officials may also wear a casual uniform depending on their sport.

This uniform has been designed by adidas and is the same as the Games Maker uniforms, however the colours are blue and white.

International Federations will be able to use the epaulettes to carry the logo of their individual sports.

Each Games Maker will receive a jacket, polo shirt, trousers, trainers, socks, cap, bag, water bottle and an umbrella.

Each technical official uniform will come with a jacket, pair of trousers and skirt (for women), a shirt for men and a blouse for women, a belt, a bag which can fit a laptop, a trilby hat and a tie for men and a scarf for women.

London 2012, adidas and Next have worked together to ensure that both the Games Maker and technical officials uniforms are as sustainable as possible, and 100 per cent of the clothing contains sustainable content.

"With our long heritage in the Olympics, having outfitted athletes and federations since 1928, we wanted to include just as many technologies in the Games Maker uniforms as we do for our athletes," added Simon Cartwright, the adidas global vice president of Olympic sports.

"This includes a perfect thermo regulation, light materials and the requirement that uniforms are practically adaptable for people with disabilities.

"Seeing 70,000 Games Makers and staff wearing the result of our teams hard work will be a very proud moment."

Games Makers will start picking up their uniforms from April 2012, while technical officials will pick up their uniforms from June 2012.

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


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