Ralph Lauren is the symbol of quintessential American style—clean, classic, red, white and blue—so there’s arguably no one better suited to design the uniforms for almost 800 members of the United States Olympic team traveling to London for the summer games in July.
It’s Lauren’s third time designing the duds to represent Lady Liberty in the Olympics. He created a line for the athletes of the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver and for the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.
It’s part of a 2009 agreement between the United States Olympic Committee and Polo Ralph Lauren to supply clothes for all three games. Polo is reportedly paying the USOC 10 percent in royalties from all items sold featuring the Olympic seal. Lauren’s athletic gear has been popular among in America since 2005 when the brand became the apparel sponsor of the U.S. Open Tournament and in 2006 when Polo won a deal to dress officials at Wimbledon.
The line for London includes jackets, glasses, luggage, shoes, hats, belts and beach towels and vintage-inspired polos, pants and sweaters on a red, white and blue palette. All merchandise goes on sale online and in stores May 15. Separate parade outfits will be revealed in July.
Source: Forbes
