Topline
Ralph Lauren unveiled on Tuesday the opening and closing ceremony uniforms for Team USA athletes for the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympics, blending modern American style with classic designs and featuring the brand’s first-ever “100% recycled” Polo shirt.
Key Facts
Ralph Lauren is the official outfitter for Team USA for the ninth consecutive Olympics since 2008, providing athletes uniforms for opening and closing ceremonies.
At the opening ceremony on July 26, Team USA athletes will wear a single-breasted navy wool blazer with red and white tipping, paired with a blue-and-white striped oxford shirt, tapered jeans, and a classic suede buck shoe, according to the company’s statement released Tuesday.
The uniform for the closing ceremony on August 11 features a moto-style jacket with multiple patches, worn with white jeans and a classic striped Polo shirt.
Paralympic swimmer Jamal Hill described the closing ceremony outfit as combining “cowboy tuxedo” and Formula 1 style, while kiteboarder Daniela Moroz praised it as “unique and cool,” reported USA Today.
The athletes chosen as Team USA’s flag bearers for the ceremony parades will wear distinct versions of these looks in alternate colorways to help them stand out, CNN reported.
The Paris 2024 collection also includes a “Villagewear” collection that athletes can wear outside of official ceremonies, including sporty varsity jackets, rugby shirts, color-blocked tees, and a classic American flag sweater, the brand said in the statement.
The collection, as well as the opening and closing parade uniforms, are made with materials including recycled polyester and USA-grown Responsible Wool Standard (RWS) certified wool, among other materials.
Key Background
Ralph Lauren has been designing uniforms for Team USA since the 2008 Beijing Olympics. For the Paris 2024 Olympics, the company said it created outfits that “draw inspiration from the dynamic and vibrant host city of Paris,” as well as representing American culture and the spirit of Team USA—with a palette of red, white, and blue. Despite past criticisms of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics uniform for exclusivity and a lack of diversity—with viewers comparing the athletes wearing uniforms to “Karens”—Ralph Lauren maintained its traditional approach. The brand was directed to have the athletes look like ambassadors with a formal yet comfortable style, noted David Lauren, the chief branding and innovation officer of Ralph Lauren, to the New York Times.
Tangent
The Paris 2024 collection includes a range of village-wear items for athletes to wear outside of official ceremonies, the “Villagewear” collection, which was named in reference to the Athletes’ Village, including jackets, rugby shirts, sweaters, and tees. The collection features the brand’s “first-ever 100% recycled” cotton Polo shirt, the company said in the statement released Tuesday.
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