04/30/2008
Olympic Athletes Unveil Ralph Lauren-Designed Team Outfits
Earlier this month I posted that the U.S. Olympic team had rejected Canadian fashion maker Roots in favor of Ralph Lauren for the Beijing 2008 Olympic team outfits. Today they were showed off by two of the American athletes.
Deontay Wilder, a boxer on the U.S. Olympic team, and Giuseppe Lanzone, a rower on the U.S. Olympic team, show off the new Ralph Lauren closing ceremonies team outfits.
Norman Bellingham, chief operating officer of the USOC and a former Olympic kayaker, told Ralph Lauren that he wanted a look that was more classic and formal, inspired by 'Chariots of Fire,' the 1981 movie about British athletes competing in the 1924 Summer Olympics in Paris.
Here are Wilder and Lanzone in their element.
A few more images from their shoot, AFTER THE JUMP...
You may have missed...
U.S. Goes Preppy for Olympic Wardrobe [tr]
Ian Thorpe Extinguishes Olympic Flame, Ever so Briefly [tr]
Gay Activist Peter Tatchell Detained Amid Olympic Flame Protests [tr]
Posted 9:59 AM EST by Andy Towle in Beijing, Fashion Men, News, Olympics, Sports | Permalink
Like it?
Subscribe to FREE Towleroad daily headlines with our RSS feed!
RECENT STORIES:
Comments
You can follow this conversation by subscribing to the comment feed for this post.
Crisket player FOP style
Ughhhhh
Whatever happened with the simple matching sweat suits of yesteryear?
Posted by: Jimmyboyo | Apr 30, 2008 12:52:25 PM
LOL at all of y'all. When it comes to fashion, don't mess with gay men's sensibilities. Lord.
"Bunny Bixler"
is that the Rosalind Russell or Lucille Ball version? Don't tell me you were old enough to see the Angela Lansbury stage version.
Posted by: Derrick from Philly | Apr 30, 2008 12:56:40 PM
BORING!! I think the Roots apparel they've worn the past couple of Olympics was better than this "stuff". And the oversized Polo pony?? We get it...it's Ralph Lauren. Ever hear of "less is more"? Must Ralph lower himself down to the A&F standard of branding?
Posted by: Keith | Apr 30, 2008 12:58:00 PM
Oh Derrick, how could you even ask that?! If I was wearing my mother's pearls, I'd be clutching them right now.
Rosalind Russell by a mile.
Posted by: crispy | Apr 30, 2008 1:07:24 PM
Derrick - I never saw the stage version :( .
Rosalind Russell on DVD. It's a classic. Really top drawer!
Posted by: JJ | Apr 30, 2008 1:18:48 PM
I think the logo is tacky and disgraceful. It's the Olympics, not an ad for Lauren. Yes I realize that most everything sports-related has a logo on it, but will it never end?
Plus I just hate white clothes
Posted by: Paul R | Apr 30, 2008 1:50:59 PM
Even the photographer has a popped collar, that's pretty great -- everyone on-set is deeply INVOLVED
Posted by: Darko666 | Apr 30, 2008 2:22:38 PM
Those extra large logos look like something a Outlet Mall Queen would wear.
Posted by: Matilda | Apr 30, 2008 2:37:25 PM
Well, CRISPY & JJ:
I agree, but there are two words that must have made Lansbury's Broadway version great--the same two words that make the Lucille Ball movie version worth seeing: Bea Arthur.
Olympic men to Broadway musicals to worshipping Rosalind Russell: gay, honey...gay.
Posted by: Derrick from Philly | Apr 30, 2008 2:44:38 PM
LOL! You are so right about Bea Arthur. This one's for you...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ilV5K8tw_6o
Posted by: crispy | Apr 30, 2008 2:53:18 PM
Oh, Crispy! Thanks for the YouTube link.
BUT IF YOU WANT A GAY DUET WITH BEATRICE ARTHUR, I'VE GOT YOUR GAY DUET RIGHT HERE:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3VbSfQ3nAM
Enjoy.
Posted by: Rey | Apr 30, 2008 3:29:55 PM
Oh, I already have that one bookmarked! :)
Posted by: crispy | Apr 30, 2008 3:46:06 PM
Hey, thanks CRISPY & REY:
Now, I have something to do at work besides troll the blogs all day.
You know, I think Bea Arthur and "Golden Girls" helped many of us survive Reagan and Papa Bush.
Boy, we hijacked the original topic of this thread. So, what? GAY POWER! We all need a break from the Clinton/Obama Wars.
Posted by: Derrick from Philly | Apr 30, 2008 3:59:50 PM
Terrible. Totally irrelevant to 2008. Ralph Lauren hasn't designed anything remotely relevant since the 90s.
Posted by: Horrendous | Apr 30, 2008 7:08:53 PM
aww Andy - aren't they great? any time you want a photo of yourself styled like that, it can be arranged!
Posted by: Tyler | Apr 30, 2008 8:22:10 PM
another reason to boycott beijing. horrid.
Posted by: holdensf | May 1, 2008 10:28:10 AM
CRAP! CRAP! CRAP!
And what is with that sweater that the Black guy is wearing? From a distance it looks like his mommy shrunk it in hot water!
Posted by: soulbrotha | May 1, 2008 12:22:59 PM
Hijack alert: Not only did I see the revival of "Mame" with Angela Lansbury, I got to meet her courtesy of the actor who played Gloria Upson ("Gloria" was in the ping-pong tournament with Bunny Bixler). She and I were students at Julliard at the time so she was able get me a pair of "Annie Oaklies" (hole punched tickets [pre-computerized ticketing]) since the producers were papering the house. The revival was a low rent version with cheap costumes and sets but La Lansbury was fabulous. Her rendition of "Bosom Buddies" remains the gold standard.
As for the US team's Olympic uniforms: Meh. They are typical Ralph Lipschitz creations. He still hasn't gotten over being blackballed from The Club in Darien. Hence, his Anglophilic-esque "designs"-- retreads with logos--are continual pleas for admission.
That striped stomach girdle on the sweater vest (god forbid, a sweater vest, something no self-respecting gay man would ever wear) is particularly hideous. Ralphie has managed to dress two incredibly hot men and make them boring. Quite a feat!
Posted by: rudy | May 1, 2008 6:08:55 PM
crispy and rey,
thanks for those links. angela looked fantastic. and well, bea is bea.
Posted by: nic | May 1, 2008 7:09:56 PM