New Zealand just dropped the mic on Winter Olympic uniform reveals with a series of rockstar images complete with mosh pit, schooling the rest of us on how to launch a new Olympic kit.
Athletes, Cam (snowboard) and Finn Melville Ives (freeski) have been given rockstar status held up by a crowd of fans, while freeski athlete Mischa Thomas joins the twin brothers for the latest album cover for their new release. Oh, sorry, my bad, to launch the new uniform for Milano-Cortina 2026.
It’s all good fun and filled with Kiwi spirit bringing the energy of their freeski and snowboard team to the masses – and what energy it is.
The new uniform, designed in Aotearoa, New Zealand by apparel partner Kathmandu, has been rigorously tested across New Zealand’s mountains, snow and winter conditions and will form the training, village and ceremonial wardrobes of the New Zealand Team at Milano Cortina 2026.
This uniform reveal is especially poignant with Kathmandu being the first Kiwi-born apparel partner for the NZ Team and the first time they will appear on the Olympic stage.
And yet, there it is, the all black (pun intended). The New Zealand colour of every year.
According to the press release, “Kathmandu has tested, adapted, and refined each garment through repeated feedback loops and real-world trials, ensuring the final collection reflects both performance requirements and athlete identity, for the harshest of all winter conditions.
The uniform showcases Kathmandu’s longstanding commitment to innovation, driving a shift from a traditional, resource-intensive linear model toward a circular system for the future.
One Team. One Kit. One Spirit.” One colour. Like the Aussies during the FIS World Cup, black jackets, white print, with the occasional shades of puffer grey. Monochrome must be an Antipodean thing. Just as well Australia has that green and yellow (meant to be gold) for the Olympics or we might get mixed up, again.
Have you seen Alice Robinson’s race suit for NZ on the alpine tour, though? Hell, yeah.
The team will debut their Olympic look in the Epiq Down Parka, a warm and technically advanced ceremony jacket designed using predominantly (70%) recycled nylon. Leading up to the Games, New Zealand athletes will also find a QR-code badge woven into the inside of their Kathmandu Opening Ceremony jacket.
Scanning the code will connect them to a digital platform* filled with messages of support from New Zealanders and fans around the world, reminding them that the team of five million is right there with them on their journey.
For training and daily wear in the village, the uniform introduces pieces such as the waterproof Trailhead Jacket, a lightweight, breathable fabric, keeping athletes dry, with a two-way centre front zip and adjustable hood. As recycled polyester as the main fabric, it holds a mechanical stretch, making it highly mobile.
In mountain environments, the New Zealand Team will also wear the PWDR DAYS range, high-performance jackets, trousers, and anoraks engineered for harsh winter conditions. Built with tough, single-fibre polyester, the garments withstand repeated impacts with ice and snow, while the mono-material laminate, composed entirely of recycled polyester, can be efficiently returned to their original raw materials at their end of useful life.
The Winter Olympics Replica Collection, part of the New Zealand Team Supporters’ Collection, available to purchase from today, will continue to roll out in 2026 as New Zealanders rally for their athletes.
