Omar Ali's Olympic Attire Impresses Netizens Who Prefer it Over The Official Design

As you’ve probably seen by now, Malaysian athletes donned elegant designs by local designer Rizman Ruzaini at the Olympic Games Paris 2024’s opening ceremony. However, the designs received mixed feedback from netizens, as some said that the designs were beautiful but didn’t incorporate enough elements from Malaysia’s multicultural background.

Local brand Omar Ali, known for its baju Melayu, has also presented its take on the national Olympic attire (note that it is not official). The brand’s late founder also has a fascinating story about how he went from being a cleaner to Tunku Abdul Rahman’s tailor.

They shared their designs in a TikTok video with the caption, “Our version of the national Olympic attire fuses cultural elements from the Malay, Chinese, and Indian communities. The men’s outfit features a Chinese cheongsam collar, an Indian nehru shirt, and a Malay songket sampin. (The) women’s attire includes Chinese cheongsam buttons, a Malay kebaya top, and an Indian selendang.”

They continued, “The orange and black tiger stripe pattern on the sutera fabric embodies our national strength and unity. Let's support our athletes as they showcase the spirit of Malaysia!”

In the TikTok video, two models were seen showing off the designs.

They also shared another video of the outfits being modelled on mannequins.

Many netizens liked these designs more than the Rizman Ruzaini one, who commented, “This isn’t Raya's feeling. This is the feeling of sports. The sports theme should be vibrant so it can be photographed well.” Another wrote, “This should’ve been the one walking for the Olympic opening (ceremony)…Simple and yet elegant…and so Malaysian.”

Which brand’s designs do you prefer? Omar Ali or Rizman Ruzaini?