Why do we have to look like dopes?
- Jamie Banks
- May 4, 2016
- 3 min read
First and foremost, I consider myself a patriotic American. On its face, having Ralph Lauren design the opening and closing ceremony uniforms for American athletes at the 2016 Olympic Games is a no-brainer.
But in practice, it's a terrible representation of our country. Just because something is red, white and blue doesn’t make it worthy of the world stage. I respect Ralph Lauren and his contributions to American fashion. He is an icon, a master businessman and a patriot, who has sponsored numerous Olympic games. I would even say he is innovative – no one builds a global brand like Ralph Lauren without always looking forward. But why do we have to look like dopes?
When I look at the 2016 US Olympic opening/closing ceremony uniforms these adjectives come to mind: dopey, preppy, hokey, homely, nautical, unflattering, plain, safe, stuffy and uncomfortable. There is nothing new or innovative about these designs. I feel as though the folks at Ralph Lauren went into the vault and dusted off some sketches from the late eighties.
The biggest losers are our female athletes. We are entering an era where almost half of all Olympic athletes are women - so why do we have to dress like adolescent boys? I imagine every athlete is happy beyond believe to represent us at the Olympics but no woman, not even super fit swimmer Haley Anderson looks good in twill walking shorts, a button-down shirt (with a HUGE "USA" embroidered on the back) and red, white and blue boat shoes (enter gagging noise here). I don’t want my athletes dressed like they stopped at the corner store to pick up some wine and cheese before making their way to the lake.
Adjectives I would like our Olympic uniforms to evoke include: inspiring, fashion-forward, innovative, sleek, independent, different, risky. To me, these adjectives better describe our country. Red, white and blue is not an impediment to cool clothes. (see Nike, who thank goodness has designed our athletes sport-specific uniforms).
I’m not naïve and realize the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) doesn’t choose the designer. This honor is auctioned to the highest bidder in the form of sponsorship and other American designers may not have the resources to compete. However, I have a few suggestions of who the USOC's Director of Sponsorship should cultivate for the 2018 Winter games in South Korea:
Either of the Wang’s…To clarify, I am talking about Alexander or Vera. Both pride themselves on innovation and functional, athletic-inspired fashion.
Already a designer, for both men and women, Wang utilizes athlete-friendly fabrics in fashion forward silhouettes. Wang began as a knitwear designer and has received critical acclaim for both his ready-to-wear and accessories lines. Imagine our athletes in these "uniforms" fabricated in navy with red and white accents. Cool and sophisticated.
Although not a menswear designer, I have no doubt she can rise to the occasion and create a kickass opening/closing uniform that represents the ingenuity and independence of America. Wang already has connections to the Olympics. As a young figure skater, Wang trained for, but ultimately did not make, the 1968 Olympic team. Since that time, she has ascended to fame as a womenswear, bridal, home and accessories designer. She has designed costumes for many American figure skaters and understands the form and function of athletes.
I’m not going to lie – I’d love to see a woman get this honor. Why can't we enlist Vera to clothe our athletes in tailored suiting made of technical fabrics in traditional shades of red, white and blue?
Duh. The quintessential American designer, Kors epitomizes laid-back American fashion with a twist. His pieces are classic, but never corny and constructed in luxurious fabrics. Imagine our athletes rocking these looks in South Korea. I envision the women's look in navy pants and sweater, white shirt and red fur (faux of course) shrug - add some boots and Kors' signature aviators and we are looking fly folks!
This is by no means an exhaustive designer list, just a few I believe could make an immediate impact. Other names that come to mind include Marc Jacobs, Cynthia Rowley, Norma Kamali, Tory Burch and Calvin Klein. I would even be up for an iconic American brand to throw its hat in the ring – hear that Gap, Levi’s, JCrew (a Jenna Lyons designed outfit!).
What our athletes are wearing will not stop me from being a proud American during the Opening Ceremony or for rooting for our athletes to kick ass (that means you Madison Kennedy). I just know we can do better and will now set my fashion sights on 2018. Sorry Ralph.
댓글