milano cortina 2026 reveals look of the olympic and paralympic winter games

Look of the olympics and paralympic winter games in italian cities

Milano Cortina 2026 unveils the Look of the Games, or the visual identity of the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games across different cities in Italy. Raffaella Paniè, who also spearheaded the visual identity of the Torino (Games) 2006, returns to lead the Brand, Identity and Look of the Games of the Fondazione Milano Cortina 2026. The look is inspired by the modern ‘Italian Spirit’ and bears the name ‘Vibes.’ The Winter Olympics Games takes place between February 6th and 22nd, while the Paralympics is between March 6th and 15th, 2026.

all images and video stills courtesy of Fondazione Milano Cortina 2026

milano cortina 2026 names the visual identity, vibes

The ‘Vibes’ – namely Creativity, Energy, Imagination, Passion, and Style – encompasses the visual identity of the Milano Cortina 2026, from the pictograms to the emblem and mascot. This is showcased across venues and slopes in the host cities, as well as in the merchandising and in both online and offline communications for the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.

On social media, the Vibes are already represented by five Italian personalities: Pianist, author and producer Dardust (Dario Faini) for Creativity; Paralympic Fencing Champion Bebe Vio for Energy; Comedian and author Federico Basso for Imagination; Chef Davide Oldani for Passion; and Ètoile of La Scala Theatre in Milano Nicoletta Manni for Style.

the visual identity of the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games appears across different host cities in Italy

Gesture-inspired drawings for the pictograms

The visual identity of Milano Cortina 2026 harks back to what the Italians may be known for around the world: Gestures. Unpacking this very word, the design team interprets the Italian ‘gesture’ as the emblem, the font, and the assets of the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games using pencil lines. It’s more visible in the unveiled Pictograms, where the 16 illustrations of the Olympic sports and six for the Paralympics are drawn by white, dramatized lines; sometimes singular, other times overlapping.

For the Pictograms, the design team underlines the forms of the athletes in the midst of their represented games rather than relying on logo-like imagery. It’s because it isn’t human, which again is a core theme of the visual identity, without human forms portraying the icons. Andrea Varnier, CEO of Fondazione Milano Cortina 2026, calls the Look of the Games a dynamic visual identity, inspired by the Italian energy, ‘our enthusiasm, our inclusiveness, and our talent. It will be instantly recognisable and will be an invitation for visitors from all over the world to immerse themselves in the new Italian Spirit,’ he says.

the look is inspired by the modern ‘Italian Spirit’ and bears the name ‘Vibes’