Enough With the Ralph Lauren Olympic Designs Already!
Is it a NASCAR pit crew member or a NASA astronaut? You be the judge. Team USA outfits for the Olympic closing ceremonies are bad. Photo by Ralph Lauren
I am in no way a fashion designer. But the United States is chock-full of young, talented, creative fashion designers who deserve an opportunity to design the next official Olympic outfits. The 2026 games are two years away when the Winter Olympics will be held in Italy. The 2028 Summer Olympics will ironically be in Los Angeles, the entertainment capital of the world, which means you have costume and fashion designers galore at your disposal.
So okay, I'm going to be that guy. These closing ceremony outfits worn in Paris were atrocious. This was not a NASCAR event, so why were our athletes looking like a pit crew ready to change four tries, fill-up the gas tank and clean windows all in 10.5 seconds?
Ralph Lauren has the contract to design the opening and closing ceremony apparel through 2028. No single company should have a 20-year contract on the designs in a country that preaches diversity and is not lacking on talent or will. We need some flavor from our Black, Brown, Latino, Asian and Native American cultures represented in these designs. Ralph Lauren is an icon no doubt. He is also an 84-year-old white guy and how he sees America isn't how WE SEE America. Where are the young, up-and-coming designers and fashion companies who can handle the role of being the official outfitters of Team USA?
Team USA members prepare to enter the stadium for the Olympic Closing Ceremony in Paris on August 11. Photo from Ralph Lauren on X.
Yes, I understand it is more than just the designing part. You also have to consider manufacturing, shipping, merchandising, marketing, communications and other factors. However, I know there are other American companies that can do this either solely or collectively with other like-minded brands. Or, God-forbid, I’m going to use a dirty word; Government subsidy. Yes, the richest nation the world can damn sure use some taxpayer money towards our Olympic movement. We obviously are not fixing potholes, paying teachers or making college cheaper, might as well help our athletes. Currently the United States Olympic Committee gets nothing from the government, which means they depend on corporate sponsors, merchandise sales and donations to fund everything. This is how a company like Ralph Lauren got the deal that it did.
As America continues to be at a crossroads politically and socially, how we dress our athletes for the world's stage says a lot about us. Polo and Ralph Lauren represent a preppy white boy look from an Ivy League school. Yes, that is a part of the American culture, but it is not all of it. Our country is more versatile and beautiful than just one look through the eyes of one man.
We just dominated the medal count in Paris with a total of 126 and the next closest country was China with 91. Those medals were earned by Americans of all different backgrounds socially, economically and racially. Our apparel needs to reflect that as well.