U.S. Olympians To Wear Ralph Lauren Line Inspired By '32 Games

Prices Of New Ralph Lauren Olympic Line Range From $50-398

U.S. Winter Olympians at the Vancouver Games Opening Ceremony on February 12 will wear "navy puffer jackets, winter-white tapered pants and Fair Isle knit hats from the Polo Ralph Lauren Olympic collection, which is inspired by the 1932 Lake Placid Games," according to Arienne Thompson of USA TODAY. Polo Senior VP/Advertising, Marketing & Corporate Communications David Lauren: "We always look back to study history as we create our designs and are always inspired by the classics." Lauren said the USOC "came to us because they were looking for something that was thoroughly American, and classic but modern." Thompson notes Ralph Lauren's designs for the Beijing Games "were more formal, tailored to make the U.S. team look like 'statesmen,'" but the "needs were different" for Vancouver. Lauren said the USOC for the Vancouver Games "wanted something that's a lot more sporty, technical-oriented, a little more relaxed." Thompson notes the collection is "available online and in Ralph Lauren stores," and items "range in price from $50 for a T-shirt to $398 for an anorak" (USA TODAY, 2/2). In Colorado Springs, Brian Gomez notes the U.S. outfit includes a cream-colored sweater and black boots. The hat features a "moose eyeing a tree" (GAZETTE.com, 2/2).

POLO NATION: U.S. snowboarder Nick Baumgartner and alpine skier Kaylin Richardson modeled the outfits this morning on NBC's "Today." Richardson said, "To wear Polo Ralph Lauren, the quintessential American Brand, is so amazing and I'm very, very proud, and also, I think we're going to be the envy of all the other nations" ("Today," NBC, 2/2). In Vancouver, Pete McMartin writes the outfit is a "testimony to corporate branding," as the U.S. "now appears to be the United States of Ralph Lauren." You "could be forgiven in thinking that polo ... is now an official Winter Olympics sport, given the ubiquity and prominence of Lauren's horsey corporate logo on the clothing." The logos are "now the size of actual polo ponies" (VANCOUVER SUN, 2/2).