Through the Years: Iconic Team Canada Outfits at the Winter Olympics

There’s something distinctly special about the Winter Olympics season in Canada. As one of the top-performing nations at the games (with a grand total of 226 medals and counting, might I add), it’s no wonder that the event consistently uplifts communities nationwide with feelings of pride, excitement and anticipation year after year.

With the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan well underway, that familiar patriotic buzz is back—because if there are two things we Canadians do best, it’s cold-weather sports and—perhaps even most importantly—cold-weather style. From signature hockey jerseys to those unmistakable Hudson’s Bay mittens, Team Canada’s uniforms have long acted as more than just an athletic performance tool, but as a symbol of national pride.

After eyeing this year’s Lululemon Olympics kit, we were feeling a little nostalgic about the best fashion moments from years past. Ahead, we’ve rounded up gold-medal-worthy Canadian style moments at the Winter Olympics spanning over 55 years, from vintage ensembles to today’s tech-savvy Lululemon kit.

1968

Grenoble, France

The Hudson’s Bay Company dressed Canadian athletes for the winter games from 1936 to 1968 (and would later style them again in 2006 and throughout the 2010s). For the 1968 games in Grenoble, France, athletes donned oversized double-breasted blazer jackets complete with exaggerated shoulder pads in the eternally-beloved brand’s iconic multicoloured stripes.

This uniform was one of the few that didn’t incorporate Canada’s classic red, white and black colourway, but something about the signature pattern will forever be instantly recognizable and synonymous with Canadian fashion.

1972

Sapporo, Japan

Athletes at the 1972 Winter Olympics in Sapporo, Japan, were bundled up in style and tradition thanks to handmade parkas designed by Inuk artist Germaine Arnaktauyok. The bright red wool coats were crafted by a group of 12 seamstresses from Iqaluit and featured white wolf fur-trimmed hoods, buttons crafted from caribou antler and blue Inuit motifs. Years on, this symbolic kit remains one of Canada’s most well-known displays of the nation’s deep-rooted Indigenous history on a global stage.

1988

Calgary, Canada

Calgary-born technical outerwear brand Sunice fittingly dressed our athletes for the first Winter Olympics on Canadian soil, and produced probably one of the most on-theme kits the Olympics have ever seen. Leaning heavily into Western-Canadian classics, the performance gear brand styled competitors in white fringe-adorned red coats and matching red pants, but it’s the ensemble’s accessories that really stole the show. Complete with matching white turtlenecks, boots and Smithbilt cowboy hats, Canada’s athletes truly never looked better.

1994

Lilihammer, Norway

Decked out in flowing red and gold capes, Team Canada showed up to the 1994 Winter Olympics in one of the most regal Olympic kits we’ve ever seen. Channelling the nation’s Mounties, the star of this look was the fur-lined, red-capped wedge hats that stood out against the rest of the ensemble’s sleek black gloves, pants and boots.

1998

Nagano, Japan

The 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan, marked the first time that Roots dressed Team Canada—a tradition that would continue until 2004. This year’s kit also ushered in a new era of modernity for Canada’s Olympic outfits, as athletes sported a more contemporary look with a red and white coat accented by classic Canadian logos, which also graced the uniform’s dark red gloves and bright crimson flat-top caps.

2010

Vancouver, Canada

The Bay returned as Team Canada’s official partner for one of the most memorable modern Winter Olympics in most Canadians’ lifetimes. For these especially significant games, the retailer returned to tradition with a classic red parka anchored by black pants and boots. Flag bearer and speed skater Clara Hughes had the honour of wearing The Bay’s iconic striped scarf while the rest of the team sported custom-made plaid throws and complementary toques. And of course, we’d be remiss if we didn’t mention the red, maple leaf-embroidered mittens that would later become a staple Canadian cold-weather accessory for years to come.

Fun fact: Team Canada won a historic 14 gold medals at this year’s games—the most ever achieved by any country at a Winter Olympics. Some may credit it to the hometown advantage, but we’d like to think that this iconic kit is partially responsible as well.

2022

Beijing, China

2022 ushered in the Lululemon era for Canada’s Winter Olympics attire, and the Vancouver-based athletic apparel brand made a truly red-hot debut with their opening ceremony outfits. Athletes were kept warm and toasty with the brand’s transformable down-filled long coat in a fiery hue. The accessories followed suit, as everything from the ensemble’s boots to hats adhered to the red palette, which was intentionally chosen to hype up athletes and evoke feelings of excitement as they prepared to compete in an Olympics that almost couldn’t happen due to the pandemic.

2026

Milan, Italy

Lululemon returned as Team Canada’s official outfitter this year with an array of premium athleticwear pieces designed to equally support both performance and style. At last week’s opening ceremony, athletes donned the Team Canada Convertible Quilted Wrap Vest, which proudly displays a large, bright red maple leaf. With complementary mittens and baseball caps, the uniform certainly stands out against years of classic red, white and black looks—a bold move for Lululemon that will likely go down in Canadian Olympic style history.