Ralph Lauren has unveiled Team USA's opening and closing ceremony uniforms for the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris, France. However, some fans believe the uniforms look more like something Will Ferrell's Ricky Bobby would wear. Talladega Nights.
On Tuesday, June 18, the American designer debuted his red, white and blue uniforms for this year's Summer Olympics, marking the ninth time Ralph Lauren has served as Team USA's official supplier for the opening ceremony. , which will take place in the French capital on July 26, the fashion brand dressed the American athletes in a classic tailored ensemble. The look features a single-breasted navy wool blazer with red and white trim and a striped Oxford shirt, paired with denim jeans and a suede shoe.
Meanwhile, the uniforms for the closing ceremony feature a more sporty style: a white motorcycle jacket with “USA” written on it, along with white denim jeans and a polo shirt underneath.
“Ralph Lauren has once again created designs that not only capture the essence of American style but also embody the spirit and pride of Team USA,” said Sarah Hirshland, CEO of the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee. USA, in a press release. “As Team USA athletes prepare to represent the United States in the upcoming Olympic and Paralympic Games, this iconic garment serves as a symbol of unity and inspiration for both our team and the millions of fans who will cheer them on. “.
While Team USA's uniforms have been known to receive some divided reactions in previous years, when Ralph Lauren revealed the patriotic looks on Tuesday, it seemed like everyone was pretty much in agreement this time: that the Team USA uniforms closures seem more appropriate for a Nascar. race than to the world capital of fashion.
“Is Nascar now an Olympic sport?” wrote one reviewer on X, formerly Twitter, in response to Team USA's uniforms.
“The top looks great, but why did they put Nascar on the bottom?” someone else said, referring to the white moto-style jacket. “It's going to be very hot.”
Meanwhile, on Instagram, one person compared Ralph Lauren's uniforms to Nascar driver Will Ferrell's flamboyant character, Ricky Bobby, in the 2006 comedy film. Talladega Nights.
“The jacket below looks like Ricky Bobby's racing suit in Talladega Nights” they said, while another user agreed: “That's EXACTLY what I was thinking.”
However, not everyone believed the uniforms looked like a racing driver's. Instead, some people offered other comparisons, such as a NASA astronaut.
“When you have a business lunch at noon but go to space at three,” one person on X joked.
“Is the plan to go to the moon after the closing ceremony?” another user joked.
At a preview of the Team USA 2024 collection on Monday, David Lauren, the company's chief innovation and brand officer and son of its founder, spoke with The Associated Press about the fashion brand's “unexpected” but classic Team USA uniforms.
“We work very closely with the US team to make the athletes feel at once dressed, like a team, but at the same time comfortable and very distinctly American,” he told the AP. “Nothing says America like blue jeans, especially when we're in Paris. And it gives athletes the opportunity to feel a culture, but also feel themselves and what is natural.”
Lauren also called the closing ceremony “more graphic, more fun, a little more exciting.”
Team USA's polos are made from 100 percent recycled cotton — the first time Ralph Lauren has achieved that level of sustainability in Olympic equipment, Lauren said. Both the opening and closing ceremony uniforms were made and manufactured in the United States.
Ralph Lauren's Team USA Opening and Closing Ceremony uniform apparel, as well as a collection of Team USA apparel and accessories, are available to purchase online. Along with the navy blue jacket set and white biker style, the fashion brand also released a Team USA color-blocked baseball jacket, a Team USA printed cotton sweater, and various other clothes.
The 2024 Olympics begin in Paris on July 26 with an opening ceremony, this time along the Seine River instead of in a stadium. Each nation's boats will cross the center of Paris and end at the Trocadero (the gardens in front of the Eiffel Tower) where the final Olympic traditions will take place. The closing ceremony will take place at the Stade de France.
Additional AP reporting.
