Opening ceremony will be a virtual fashion parade on a cold windy evening

The Opening Ceremony at any Olympic Games has its own sanctity. It is an event that provides the host nation an opportunity to showcase its socio-economic, cultural and fiscal health. It is also as much a fashion show as it is a parade of nations. The winter Games in particular, allow participating nations and their fashion designers to kit their respective contingents with practical coats, layers, hats and gloves. The turnout of each contingent, besides ceremonial and warm, is an opportunity for both professional and amateur fashion critics to review a greater collection. How elegant each squad looks at the sacred ceremony also gets instant adjudication on social media. And this evening when athletes from participating 95 nations march in unison in cold and windy PyeongChang to mark the beginning of the 2018, there will be a virtual scramble on social media as who has captured more glittering glimpses of the new fashion trends in winter sports clothing. Fortunately or unfortunately, there was no social media for the editions of Winter or Summer Olympic Games held in the previous centenary. Otherwise many would have blown the organisers of the 1984 Sarajevo Olympic Games for the "SAD" placard ahead of the US squad in the opening ceremony at the march past. "SAD" was the Yugoslav designation for "USA" at Sarajevo 1984. It wasn't meant to be a comment on the Americans' outfit, it just worked out that way (Photo: Jack Smith, AP). “This is how we will enter the stadium on 9. February 2018,” declared Team Deutschland on its Facebook page (Photo: Team Deutschland). Sightings of German athletes in these grey jackets have already popped up around the Olympic village at PyeongChang 2018 Late last year, Germany made public its collection. A distinctive, street-style look that’s meant to convey cool confidence, undoubtedly inspired by the physically flawless villains from Pitch Perfect 2. A sliding sports powerhouse, Germany is expected to have a large medal haul at PyeongChang, and that means those sharp grey podium jackets could become synonymous with celebration. This is expected to be France’s Opening Ceremony outfit at PyeongChang 2018. Needless to say, France is the fashion capital of the world. France’s podium wear is sure to set a few hearts aflutter at PyeongChang 2018 While Germany went for the sporty look, neighbouring France unsurprisingly turned on the style. It's France, after all, and in fashion they like to lead the medal table in being envied. The tri-colour, crocodile-laden athletes will enter the stadium in the blue outfit above, but their podium wear — white with blue and red trim — may be the most elegant (non-Canadian) attire at the Games. The US Opening ceremony outfit at Sochi 2014 looked more like they were headed to an ironic Pleasantville-themed Christmas Party than a premium athletic event, but that changes at these winter Games. No more patchwork cardigans, enter track pants and down jackets. While not competing under the Russian flag due to an International Olympic Committee ban, many athletes from the last winter Games host country will be at PyeongChang 2018 dressed in various costumes of grey, blue and red. No prominent national emblems will be on the attire, but the word “Russia” will be on some pieces. They will be part of the Olympic Athletes of Russia contingent.

The Finnish outfits reflect the country's icy landscape, accented by patterns that draw its inspiration from the Northern Lights. The full outfit is completed by a fuzzy hat, which looks warm, and may be doubly functional for sneaking up on rabbits in the tundra. That last part is unconfirmed. Norway The Norwegians probably have an official Olympic uniform, but that doesn’t matter. All eyes are on what their curlers will wear. Once known just for their colourful pants started at Vancouver 2010, Norway’s men’s curling team returns with a full checkered suit this time. An unified Korean team will march at the Opening Ceremony. Before that decision was made in January, South Korea unveiled its ceremonial wear in the fall. While receiving the loudest, most emotional tribute from the crowd on Friday night, the athletes will be wearing a long, warm, goose down jacket. South Korea’s podium jackets meanwhile will have lyrics of the national anthem printed in the lining. Dubbed the “Champion Dragon” outfit, China will be wearing red track pants, with a white jacket that has red stripes on both shoulders, complemented by a z ipper with the red and yellow colours of its flag. In a shocking twist nobody saw coming, the Netherlands will wear orange.