The Paris 2024 Organising Committee has
revealed the designs of the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games mascots on
Monday, 14 November. These mascots are two little Phrygian caps that embody the
French spirit, French values and are a strong symbol of France.
Always a double act - as a symbol of
togetherness - the Olympic Phryge and the Paralympic Phryge are the leaders of
a tribe who always have their trainers on. The Paris 2024 mascots aim to lead a
revolution through sport. Their mission: to get the world moving in the run up
to the Games and beyond.
By
choosing to have a mascot with a visible disability, Paris 2024 aims to give
maximum representation to people who are living with disabilities and to
promote the inclusivity values of the Paralympic Games and of sport as a whole.
Always active and trying new things, the Paris 2024 mascots aim to
lead a revolution through sport. @Paris 2024
A symbol: The Phrygian cap
A symbol of liberty, present at the heart
of many major historical events in France, the famous Phrygian cap directly
inspired the mascots of Paris 2024.
“We chose an ideal to represent the
mascot of Paris 2024, that is to say, a symbol," said Tony Estanguet,
President of the Paris 2024 Organising Committee. "Why the Phrygian cap?
It is a symbol that is very important. A French symbol, of course. It perfectly
embodies the French Republic. You know this symbol well because it is a symbol
that is already in our daily lives.
An international symbol of liberty worn
by freed slaves in Greece and Rome and appearing on many different emblems in
North and South America alike, the Phrygian cap has also become one of the
symbols of the French Republic.
Spanning a long tradition, Phrygian caps
have accompanied the French people during many of the country’s most important
historical moments dating back to as early as 1163, on the building site of the
Notre-Dame de Paris Cathedral. Their presence at the French Revolution of 1789
is especially well-known.
Always active and trying new things, the
Paris 2024 mascots aim to lead a revolution through sport. @Paris 2024
With their rich history, the Phrygian
caps have become a common reference point in political, social and artistic
revolutions: in art as a metaphor for freedom, within French institutions worn
by Marianne in every town hall as a symbol of the Republic.
They can also be seen on everyday objects
such as coins and stamps.
The mascots' mission: A revolution through sport
With a thousand years of experience, the
Phryges know that revolutions require preparation. For the Paris 2024 Games, we
see a new generation of Phryges who always have their trainers on and who have
come to help the nation start a new revolution through sport.
The Paralympic and Olympic Phryge are
driven by one simple belief: sport has the power to change everything - our
lives, our health, our relationships with others and with nature. It’s time to
incorporate sport into our everyday lives, whether as athletes or as fans.
The Paris 2024 mascots will act as role
models to bring the greatest number of people along on the Games journey. The
Paralympic mascot, in particular, proudly sports a running blade to help as
wide an audience as possible to identify with the sports movement.
The Paris 2024 mascots are on a mission to get the world moving.
@Paris 2024
Two mascots, two personalities
The Paralympic and Olympic Phryges are
leaders of the wider Phryge tribe, holding onto a strong sense of
community.
While they are inseparable and best
friends who look out for each other, the Paris 2024 mascots also have different
personalities.
The Paralympic Phryge is a real party
animal, spontaneous and a bit hotheaded. It is not afraid of anything and
always up for new experiences. Rallying people around it with infectious energy
and enthusiasm, the Paralympic Phryge will bring out the best supporter in you,
spread the values of sport and encourage everyone to celebrate the athletes.
The Paralympic and Olympic mascots have different personalities but
share the same love of sport. @Paris 2024
The Olympic Phryge is a fine tactician
and the smart one of the bunch. A true mathematician, it never starts anything
without thinking it all through.
Together the Paris 2024 mascots will test
out different sports and other activities, train hard and put all their energy
into promoting the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
“These two Phryges are the main
characters in a bigger tribe of small Phrygian caps," Matikhine said.
"These Phryges are all members of the same family, a bit like the Smurfs
and the Minions. Here each character has its own story, its own personality,
but they also resemble each other."
Concept: The birth of the mascots
To create an original mascot that
inspires and unites, the creative teams of Paris 2024 went in search of a
powerful symbol. Then they gave it a shape, features and personality.
A lot of creative collaboration was
required to develop the Paralympic and Olympic mascots from their original
concept. Even the slightest curves and smallest lines were the subject of long
hours of discussions and sketching sessions.
The creative teams paid particular
attention to two crucial aspects of the characters:
The eye: intended to be mischievous and
expressive, it also looks like the ‘cockade of France’ (the French national
ornament).
Their love of sport: this had to be expressed through the
mascots' outline, their clothes and their gestures. The creative teams had to
find the right proportions and fit for their accessories in order to create
dynamic, athletic mascots that were also inclusive and able to break down the
stereotypes of the “perfect body”.
The mascot designers held many sketching
sessions and discussions before arriving at the final concept. @Paris 2024
The mascots first appear in two
dimensions, but they will also be made into different collectible items,
including plush toys.
Paris 2024 has chosen two small and
medium-sized French companies as official licensees for the production and
distribution of these plush toys: Gipsy and Doudou et Compagnie.
The know-how that goes into making plush
toys has practically disappeared in Europe in recent decades due to the
large-scale production lines in Asia. Now, thanks to the momentum of the Paris
2024 Games, Doudou et Compagnie have decided to bring some of their production
home to their factory in Brittany. By 2024, 8% of their plush toy mascots will
be manufactured in France, taking up the huge challenge of bringing plush toy
making expertise back to France and Europe in general.
The two companies have committed to
making their plush toys using eco-friendly materials. As such, 100% of the
Gipsy plush toys will be made from recycled materials. Doudou are also choosing
eco-friendly materials: 100% recycled stuffing fibres, eco-friendly packaging,
recycled stitching and embroidery.
Also available as plush toys, the
Paralympic and Olympic mascots will be a coveted collectible for all fans young
and old. @Paris 2024
To raise awareness about disabilities,
Doudou et Compagnie also strove to create the most accurate Paralympic mascot
they could, investing in a special manufacturing mould to recreate the mascot’s
blade as realistically as possible. This feature had to be soft to the touch
but also to reflect the strength of a carbon blade.
Under the sole of the shoe, Paris 2024 is
written in braille to showcase the importance of accessibility.
The mascots can now be found on the
official online shops of paris2024.org and carrefour.fr, the Partner and
Official Licensee of Paris 2024.
From 15 November, the mascots will be
available at the Carrefour shops, in specialised toy, sport and department stores
as well as the first official Paris 2024 shop located in the Forum des Halles
in Paris.
Meet the mascots
As ambassadors of the Paris 2024 Games,
the Paralympic Phryge and the Olympic Phryge will travel across France to meet
people, attend all the major events of Paris 2024 throughout the country and
all the biggest sporting and cultural events taking place in France.
Source: IPC Website