The story behind the leo: Michigan State gymnastics is all about the ‘Smoke & Mirrors’ and Cal gymnastics channels Napa
Every week this season Gymnastics Now will be highlighting one NCAA team’s competition leotard and sharing the story behind the design and creation of the garment.
Postseason has brought with it so many amazing new leotard designs, so why not some double features in honor of this week’s season finale? Double the leos, double the fun!
Michigan State gymnastics and the “Smoke & Mirrors” leo
We’re going to start off with Michigan State’s gorgeous “Smoke & Mirrors” leotard. It’s a beautiful garment that lives up to it’s intriguing and mysterious name.
The Sylvia P frock was designed by MSU’s Associate Head Coach Nicole Jones, who was focused on staying true to the Spartan way.
“Something that stays true and represents Michigan State, while also trying to make sure each of our leotards continues to look different than one another,” Jones about how she approaches the design process.
The unique and purposely placed cutouts on the back, at the neckline, and on the sleeves give the leotard a edge while keeping it elegant. The giant bedazzled Spartan head on the front, with the MSU green and black body, took this design to a whole other level.
“This season, I knew I wanted to bring back the giant Spartan head logo. We had used it a handful of years ago, but it was time to revamp an oldie but goodie,” Jones explained. “Each year, I feel like it gets harder and harder to design because of the expectation I have to continue to raise the bar with our designs. This season, with all of our leotards, especially “Smoke & Mirrors”, I tried to be brave and step out of the box. If you take a look at the leotard, you will see that I have incorporated the different cutouts on the sleeves and body that are supposed to correspond with the neckline design. Then, if you look really closely, there are parts on the sleeves and upper body that are asymmetrical on purpose!”
The design isn’t just loved by us but by the athletes who get to wear it!
“What I loved most about this new leotard was the Spartan head right in the front! We don’t have many leos with a Spartan head on the chest, so it was pretty cool to have our mascot on it,” Spartan junior Baleigh Garcia said. This leo did not fail to have a “wow factor.” The open back and the strappy neckline help further accentuate the beauty and creativity of the leo. We have all fallen in love with this leotard!”
The team might have seen its season end during regionals, but the women of MSU climbed the ladder all season and overcame challenges beyond comparison to shine in these leos during their conference championships, making it an easy pick.
Cal gymnastics channels Napa
Now, let’s look at Cal’s new Ozone leo. “Napa” grabbed our attention as soon as we saw it, and this leotard has a unique story to go along with it.
The Golden Bears have donned some jaw-dropping leotards in the past, but this one takes the cake for our team. The absolutely stunning, two-toned blue leotard features an open back and a dazzling, leafy vine design.
“The leo is named “Napa”, and its designer is our Co-Head Coach Liz Crandall-Howell, along with partners at Ozone,” team officials said. “The leo is a part of a collection that we are introducing that pays tribute to NorCal and California connections – stay tuned for more in this series.”
The symbolism behind the leo is one you wouldn’t expect, but it all comes together in a seamless way.
Something the team loved about this leo is that the vines grow together and are all connected. Another great show of symbolism that connects these athletes to the school, places, and communities they represent as Cal student-athletes.
