Beyond the Games – Montreal’s Olympic Story
McCord Stewart Museum
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Chapters

Uniforms

To ensure that the public and athletes were properly welcomed and that the Games would run smoothly, a large team of professionals was hired, along with many students.

Watch video — Gérald Vallée recounts his Olympic experience Gérald Vallée, in a dark t-shirt, stands next to a mannequin dressed in his orange uniform from the 1976 Olympic Games. Buttoned over a white shirt, the orange jacket has the Montreal Games logo embroidered in white on the left pocket. Around the mannequin's neck hangs Vallée's laminated employee ID card.
Gérald Vallée recounts his Olympic experience. Video available with transcription and subtitles.

Since all these people had to be clothed, experienced fashion designer Michel Robichaud was asked to design the uniforms. He had already designed uniforms, notably for Air Canada and Expo 67. Realizing that it would be a big job, Robichaud invited designers Léo Chevalier, Marielle Fleury and John Warden to work with him as a team. 

Their approach  was to create outfits that were contemporary, casual, and very colourful! The rainbow of Olympic colours was used to distinguish the various roles:   

  • Red for guides and hostesses
  • Orange for hospitality staff
  • Yellow for judges and officials
  • Green for Olympic Village staff
  • Blue for photographers and cameramen
  • Purple for the team in charge of medal ceremonies
  • Beige was not considered one of the Olympic colours, but was used to dress staff working in the sports division
Image details — Two mannequins are dressed in rainbow-striped visored head scarves and the hostess uniform of the Games. The one on the left is wearing a bright red midi skirt and matching short-sleeved jacket, buttoned over a blouse with a rainbow-striped collar. The outfit is accessorized with a knotted belt in the same rainbow-striped fabric and solid-coloured plastic bracelets in the same colours. The one on the right is clothed in a bright red long cape over a skirt and jacket in the same colour, open to a multicoloured striped shirt. Image details — A fashion sketch shows a man and a woman dressed in red uniforms with the Games logo embroidered on the pocket. Both are wearing a multicoloured striped shirt under their jacket. In addition, the woman is wearing a knotted belt and head scarf in the same striped fabric. Image details — Two mannequins are dressed in orange uniforms. On the left is the uniform for men: straight-leg pleated trousers and a jacket with a tricolour striped ribbon running down the sleeves. On the right is the uniform for women: a midi skirt and matching jacket. Buttoned over white shirts, the jackets feature the white Games logo embroidered on the breast pocket. Around the mannequin's necks hang laminated employee ID cards. Image details — In front of the Olympic Stadium, a smiling young man sits on a low concrete wall. He is wearing the uniform of hospitality staff: orange trousers and matching jacket with a tricolour striped ribbon running down the sleeves and the 1976 Games logo embroidered on the breast pocket. Image details — A mannequin is dressed in the photographer uniform: straight-leg blue trousers and a jacket in the same colour, buttoned over a white shirt. A striped ribbon runs down the jacket sleeves and the breast pocket is embroidered with the Games logo. Image details — A mannequin is dressed in a clear hooded rain poncho, with a rainbow band running down the sleeves. Underneath the poncho can be seen a hospitality uniform from the Games: a bright orange midi skirt and matching jacket open to a white shirt. Image details — A mannequin is dressed in the uniform of press messengers: white pleated flared trousers, a rainbow ribbon at the waistline, and a blue t-shirt emblazoned with the 1976 Games logo. Image details — A fashion sketch of three people in uniform: a woman in a white skirt and two men in white trousers, all with a rainbow ribbon at the waistline. The white Games logo is emblazoned on their t-shirts, which are respectively pink, purple and blue. Image details — A mannequin is dressed in the medal presenter uniform: slightly flared white trousers and a multicoloured striped shirt under a purple jacket. A brooch of the Games logo is pinned to the breast pocket. Image details — A mannequin is dressed in the maintenance staff uniform: an emerald green coverall with short sleeves, buttoned over a white t-shirt with a green neckline. The white Games logo is embroidered on the left chest pocket of the coverall. Image details — A maintenance employee poses, leaning on a push broom in front of the fence surrounding the Olympic Village. Wearing a white bucket hat, the moustachioed man is wearing an emerald green coverall with the Games logo embroidered on the left chest pocket. Image details — A mannequin is dressed in the uniform of auxiliary staff in the sports division: straight-leg beige trousers and a jacket in the same colour, buttoned over a white shirt. A striped ribbon runs down the jacket sleeves and the breast pocket is embroidered with the Games logo.
Full Gallery

In January 1976, after taking delivery of 52,000 metres of fabric, local factories began producing some 90,000 pieces of clothing. Amazingly, a mere six months later, by the time the Games opened, COJO had handed out 21,000 or so uniforms!  

Image details — Four people model uniforms from the Games. A man is wearing a red suit. A woman is dressed in a casual white outfit with a midi skirt. A man is wearing a yellow ensemble. A woman is wearing a light blue suit with a fitted jacket.
Models wearing staff uniforms from the Montreal Olympic Games

My dream thrift store find

Some of the outfits included a brand that is still really popular today: adidas. The company sponsored the tracksuits worn by the largest category of personnel, as well as supplying 11,000 pairs of running shoes! 

Think about it: woudn’t it be amazing to find a pair of adidas or even an official Games uniform in a thrift store some day?

Image details — A pair of beige canvas shoes with matching beige laces features three multicoloured stripes down both sides. The tongue has a label with the adidas trefoil logo in white over a blue background.
Sneakers, Adidas