Ralph Lauren reveals Olympic uniforms for Team USA

NEW YORK Ralph Lauren presented Team USA's official outfits for the Milan Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics on Thursday, highlighting a collection of Americana-inspired knitwear and nostalgic design elements. The opening ceremony ensemble combines a red, white, and blue patterned knit sweater with cream-colored tailored trousers and a matching wool coat. For the closing ceremony, athletes will wear a graphic puffer jacket inspired by vintage ski apparel, layered over a color-blocked sweater.

"We are designing something timeless, a piece that people will cherish and continue to wear forever," said David Lauren, the Chief Branding and Innovation Officer at Ralph Lauren. "When creating jackets and other pieces, we draw from enduring elements of Ralph Lauren's identity and build upon them."

In addition to the ceremonial outfits, Ralph Lauren also launched a Team USA collection, which includes the athletes' everyday Olympic village wear. The collection maintains the red, white, and blue color scheme seen in the formal outfits and features classic pieces like bomber jackets and hockey jerseys, alongside other winter essentials.

The design process for these uniforms is extensive. Ralph Lauren, which has been responsible for Team USA's Olympic apparel since 2008, begins working on each Games' looks roughly two and a half years in advance. The team meets with athletes to gather ideas for the designs. As the Milan-Cortina uniforms are revealed, Lauren shared that designs for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics are already in the works.

"The cultural significance of each Olympic uniform is immense," Lauren explained. "We understand the attention these outfits attract, not just from the fashion industry but also from American consumers." He added that the demand for these pieces often leads to them being highly sought after, sometimes even being resold online.

Olympic athletes also take part in the excitement surrounding the uniforms. According to para-snowboarder Brenna Huckaby and snowboarder Red Gerard, there's a tradition among athletes of exchanging jerseys and jackets with competitors from other nations if a particular design catches their eye. However, trading is not always an easy decision.

"I rarely trade, because I love every single item from Team USA," Huckaby explained, referring to the color-blocked sweater for the closing ceremony. "But occasionally, there will be something from another country that I find intriguing. The hardest part of the Games is deciding what I'm willing to part with," she admitted.

Author: Maya Henderson