The Paris 2024 Paralympic Games kicked off last week, bringing nations across the world together in a global celebration of excellence and competition. For many athletes, this moment represents the culmination of years of dedication and rigorous training.
As the official outfitter of Team Canada athletes for the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, lululemon’s goal was to create an athlete kit that supports Team Canada as they move through the Games and compete for themselves, their teams, and their country, empowering each athlete to feel their best.
Close collaboration with athletes and innovative design brought to life a kit that is inclusive and uplifts athletes to feel their best. The co-creation process with Paralympic athletes was instrumental in shaping the kit, resulting in inclusive features and adaptive styles.
“Our whole approach to creating this collection was centered around the concept of ‘Nothing about us, without us.’”, said Matt Stork, Senior Research Scientist at lululemon. “This philosophy is rooted in disability activism and reinforces the importance of not making decisions without considering the needs of the end users.”
Matt Stork, who led product testing for this collection, and Tara Llanes, Team Canada Wheelchair Basketball Athlete, share more about their collaboration on the Team Canada Paris 2024 athlete kit in the following Q&A interview.
Matt shares more about his experience and the rigorous testing process below:
Could you share some of the key inclusion and adaptive considerations that were implemented to ensure the success of product testing for this collection?
There was a lot of groundwork that went into the product creation process. This included recruiting new fit models living with disabilities, updating the accessibility of our facilities and research lab spaces, working with expert consultants in the area, and continuously getting feedback directly from our Paralympians and fit models throughout the process.
What key insights were revealed through the product testing sessions with the Paralympic athletes? How did your team ensure the products were functional and inclusive for a diverse range of disabilities?
We captured an array of new insights across a range of product categories including tops, bottoms, outerwear, bags, hats, and beyond. Our team wanted to be mindful of everything from durability and thermoregulation, to fit and function in movement. We focused on features that would make athletes’ lives easier – such as zippers, snap buttons, pulls and loops, durable materials, and magnetic zippers. One standout example is our Seated-Fit Carpenter pant; I like to call it the “mullet pant” because it is dual-fabric – it has a clean business-like look in the front, with a more comfortable and breathable fabric with a higher rise in the back that works well for people who use wheelchairs.
Team Canada Seated-Fit Carpenter Pant
How did you and the team collaborate with the Paralympic athletes during the development process?
We collaborated with Paralympic athletes early and often throughout the process, beginning with initial insights to understand their experiences and needs at the Games. This was followed by more product-focused feedback to guide design and development considerations. At our Product Innovation lab, we tested prototypes of our Team Canada Paris 2024 athlete kit on body and in movement to help inform the final product you see in-store and on the athletes today. Through wear testing and product testing using wheelchair rollers and treadmills in our climate chamber, we recreated the various key moments and environmental conditions the athletes would experience at the Paris 2024 Games. We also conducted numerous dynamic fitting sessions with our fit models across the development process to ensure that the products were landing as intended every step of the way.
Paralympic athletes Tara Llanes and Jessica Frotten at lululemon’s Product Innovation lab
lululemon hosted 14 Canadian Paralympic athletes at its Product Innovation lab in Vancouver in the lead up to the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games. Among these collaborators was Tara Llanes, Team Canada Wheelchair Basketball Athlete, whose contributions in focus groups and hands-on product testing sessions were essential to shaping the final collection.
Reflecting on her experience, Tara shared, “it was exciting to see the behind-the-scenes of how these products came to light. Having a say in what adaptive clothing could look like when done right has been very fulfilling.”
Tara, who has competed in adaptive sports for eight years, spoke about her journey into wheelchair basketball and shared more on her experience collaborating with lululemon below:
How did you get into wheelchair basketball and what do you love the most about it?
I had moved to British Columbia and started playing wheelchair tennis. I loved it, but I missed being part of a team. I met a few former national team players who suggested I try basketball, and the rest is history. I love the physicality, the team camaraderie, and traveling around the world playing the best teams in the world.
What do you hope other athletes and designers take away from the work and adaptive considerations that were put into this collection?
I hope other designers are open to hearing ideas about adaptive clothing. It doesn’t have to look radically different – it just needs to make sense. To be honest, I think most adaptive athletes want to fit in like everybody else, wearing the same gear, but with little nuances that make sense for us. As for the athletes, I hope that they see those little nuances in the clothing. For instance, the thumb loop to help pull the pants on better, the shin pockets to store a few things during opening ceremonies, the magnet that clicks the zipper in the podium jacket, or the short back end of the rain poncho for those that use wheelchairs. A lot of thought went into these details.
What do you hope to see in the future of adaptive and inclusive design?
I hope more companies take it on to do just that… make it more inclusive. To listen to the people moving through life with a disability and take their everyday experiences to heart. It doesn’t have to necessarily be reinventing the wheel, but there are considerations that can be made that will make a world of difference for an entire population.
Looking ahead, lululemon sees the Team Canada x lululemon Paris 2024 athlete kit as just the beginning. “I view this collection as a spark for what is truly possible for lululemon,” Matt noted. “There’s still so much work to be done, but we’re committed to pushing the momentum forward.”
Tara captured the spirit of this journey best when she expressed her excitement for the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games: “It’s about putting all of our hard work to the test – knowing that we’ve trained so hard and showing everyone that we’re one of the best teams in the world. We want to make Canada proud.”
As the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games continue this week, lululemon proudly cheers on Team Canada.
*A note from Matt Stork: I’d like to acknowledge that I am an able-bodied person. So much of my knowledge and experience in this space comes from close friends, colleagues, athletes, and fit models with lived experience. I’ve been fortunate to volunteer and conduct research with a wide range of people living with disabilities for many years, and these experiences have been a key source of inspiration for me.