The New Zealand Olympic Team Outfits Have Been Unveiled And People Are Disappointed...

Our official uniform of the New Zealand Olympic team has been unveiled.

The range, designed by local artist and designer Shane Hansen, is dominated by classic black but also features sweeps of green and blue and references to the Southern Cross.

First time Olympian Caitlin Ryan was impressed, indicating that New Zealand has stolen a sartorial march on their rivals.

"There's a great range," said the kayaker. "It looks great and and it's comfortable - which for athletes is the most important thing. I love the colours and it works for all body shapes and sizes, so they have considered everything."

Steve Dunstan, designer at internationally successful Kiwi sportswear label Huffer, was hugely disappointed with the uniform.

"It's quite basic," Dunstan said.

"I was hoping it would be a little more dynamic, but it doesn't really represent what our country is all about. We should be more progressive and innovative.

"As a nation we've got the talent to come up with something world class but this doesn't represent what we can do.

"I don't want to be bagging it too much, but I have to be honest. It's not on a parallel with what our athletes are going to be doing.

"The way the garments are pulling, everything. There is no innovation in the cut or anything. Just sitting the way they are, it's not great."

"It seems like, it's sort of 90s silhouettes. It could be a look ahead of its time. Maybe it's a retro theme."

Stylist and fashion designer Angela Stone said the uniform lacked any real fashion at all.

"From a fashion point of view, I'm not really seeing that," Stone said.

"Fashion hasn't even been considered. I'd love the chance to work with the uniform and sex it up a bit, but there is no sex in that uniform.

"Even the white blouse for the women. Chinese collar, not tucked in, that isn't style. It could have been done a lot better.

"It's like they haven't even tried."

Hansen said his design started from a 'stadium of ideas', and also included focus groups with athletes.

"My inspiration was our motu, our land, and the journey our athletes take as they travel from New Zealand to Rio where they will test themselves against the world's best," said Hansen.

"I wanted to draw on who we are and where we come from and use these references in the clothing."

More than 21,000 items have been produced for the wider team, which comprises 350 athletes and support staff members.

The range, manufactured by Chinese sportswear firm PEAK, includes performance shorts, leggings, T-shirts, casual jogging pants, track suit pants and hoodies, as well as footwear, bags, formal and ceremony wear.