When you think of American fashion, two things come to mind: denim and Ralph Lauren. It’s apt, then, that the iconic designer has incorporated jeans into Team USA’s uniforms for the opening and closing ceremonies at this summer’s Paris Olympics. Ralph Lauren the brand revealed the outfits on Tuesday, the Associated Press reported, and they combine the label’s classic tailoring with workwear staples.
“We work very closely with Team USA to make the athletes feel at once dressed up, feel like a team, but at the same time comfortable and very distinctively American,” said David Lauren, the chief branding and innovation officer at Ralph Lauren, according to the AP. “Nothing says America like blue jeans, especially when we’re in Paris, and it gives the athletes a chance to feel a sense of a culture but also feel like themselves and what is natural.”
During the opening ceremony, the American athletes will don tapered blue jeans and single-breasted navy wool blazers with red and white tipping. A white striped Oxford shirt will be paired with a blue necktie, and cream suede buck lace-up shoes will round out the look. As for the closing ceremony, Team USA will rock a more casual outfit: White moto-style jeans, which have “Team USA” written in blue on the outside seam of one leg; a matching zip jacket, with “USA” written similarly across the front; and a duckbill cap.
It sounds like the athletes are on board with what Ralph Lauren has dreamed up in its ninth time dressing Team USA for the Olympics. “They have a really, really nice unique modern flair,” the Paralympic swimmer Jamal Hill told the AP about the uniforms. “I think Ralph did a good job in diversifying,” agreed the BMX racer Kamren Larsen.
While the Ralph Lauren garb is exclusive to the members of Team USA, the brand did also design merch for the public. Some of those proceeds will go toward athletes training for the Olympics, although David Lauren wouldn’t specify how the funds are split up.
Many viewers will be tuning in to see how Team USA performs when the Olympics kick off next month, but we’ll have our eyes peeled for the outfits during the opening and closing parades, too.
