Team Scotland likely wasn’t prepared for the reaction when it unveiled its athlete parade uniforms for the Commonwealth Games (hosted by Glasgow) last week.
Parade uniform! #GoScotland pic.twitter.com/UtzNHQJzzA
— Team Scotland (@Team_Scotland) July 6, 2014
The response was rejection, largely. The proof is in the numbers on petition.org, where more than 27,000 have supported a proposed petition to the Scottish government to “prevent the use” of the uniforms because they are “truly horrendous.”
The goal is 35,000 supporters. The Commonwealth Games Opening Ceremony is July 23.
The uniform’s designer, Jilli Blackwood, defended her work to the BBC, saying, “if everyone liked it, I wouldn’t be doing my job.”
She added a statement on her website.
“I remain very proud of my contribution to the Glasgow Commonwealth Games,” Blackwood said. “The outfit is a celebration of traditional Scottish embroidery, tartan weaving and textile design. I hope all will come to love the costumes when they are presented in the context of a colourful and spectacular Opening Ceremony.”
How different are Scotland’s uniforms to recent Opening Ceremonies? We only have the Commonwealth Games to compare, since Scots compete under the British flag at the Olympics.
Here are Scotland’s parade uniforms at recent Commonwealth Games, via Getty Images:
