Britain may not have the most accomplished athletes in the world but a month from now its Olympic team will show it's certainly the best dressed in the competition.

Wearing stylish suits woven in Bradford, they will even upstage the sartorial Italians in the dress stakes.

In fact if gold medals were handed out for sheer elegance there is every chance the British team would sweep the board.

The wool fabric for the British team - all 2,500 metres of it - has been designed and produced by Bradford manufacturers J H Clissold & Son Ltd of Otley Road.

The fine lightweight twill with GO FOR GOLD woven into the stripes has been tailored for the athletes by Saltaire-based Buxton Pickles Ltd and Leeds-based Berwin and Berwin on behalf of Ben Sherman.

The Telegraph & Argus has been given a sneak preview of the classy two-pieces ahead of next week's official launch in London.

Adrian Berry, Clissold's managing director hopes the fine uniforms might stimulate the sprinters' and shotputters' dress sense.

He said: "I would hope that after they've worn these clothes they will look at labels and will want to buy British fabrics whenever they can.

"I think it's an accepted fact that we in Britain make the best wool fabrics in the world."

Despite the Athens heat, members of the British squad will be able to remain cool in the lightweight clothes at official functions and the opening ceremony.

The whole creation of the garments has been very much a home-grown affair based in West Yorkshire. The yarn was spun in Slaithwaite, the cloth woven in Keighley and the fabric finished in Huddersfield.

"We're very pleased that a top Great British brand like Ben Sherman is associated with this project and we're happy to be part of it," said Mr Berry.

Clissold produced cloth for the suits worn by the England football team a couple of years ago and would have done so again if Giorgio Armani hadn't muscled in. But the firm would like to extend its sporting links.

And as and when Bradford City emerges from its current crisis, Clissold may even suggest a celebratory suitlength or two.

That would be quite appropriate given that one of the firm's senior pattern weavers, Lenny Berry is also City's mascot, the City Gent.