Did Ralph Lauren Embarrass America?

[girl gone mad]

Apparently there's a firestorm of controversy over the uniform Ralph Lauren designed for the U.S. team to wear at the opening Olympic ceremonies, and it's not hard to see why. For starters, the damned Ralph Lauren Polo logo totally upstages the Olympic rings logo. It's huge! Also, the uniforms look pretty cheap up close, probably because they were made as part of a rush job http://www.nowpublic.com/sports/chinese-making-u-s-olympic-team-uniforms-0">sent to Chinese "tailors" at the last minute. The American Politics Journal wrote, "Lauren – and most likely his son David – celebrated not the spirit of athletic competition but themselves and their brand, morphing our athletes into unpaid billboards for the "Polo™" pony and rider that has helped bring the Laurens great... riches."



more:
http://gawker.com/5035361/did-ralph-lauren-embarrass-america

[ProdigalJunkMail]

1. seems pretty standard to me...

drab and with the commercialism right out there in front...kinda what a lot of america is all about. as for cheap...well, they do only wear them one time in public...right?

sP

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

2. If you wear them and live in the Hamptons, I could understand the outfits but to me they didn't

represent all of America. Just a very wealthy, select few.

[scarletwoman]

10. They kinda scream Eastern Prep School to me. (nt)

[OmmmSweetOmmm]

12. lol! My nephews went to prep schools in Manhattan and on weekends went out to their

Hampton's beach house. We once received a hand-me-down school blazer from one of them for my older son, similar to Lauren's design. ;)

[scarletwoman]

40. Hah! I KNEW it!

I look at them and wonder if there's a polo team. :D

[cboy4]

3. Are we looking at the same photo or something?

The Polo logo is a little too big I agree, but otherwise I think it looks sharp.

[Captain Hilts]

52. I agree. For the first time in years we don't look like sloppy cowboys. Most of us aren't cowboys.

[muriel_volestrangler]

4. The caps look rather silly, IMO

and with the logos that big, I'd hope Ralph Lauren is paying the US Olympic Committee a good amount for the advertising.

[yy4me]

5. Don't mind the uniform but those hats...look like an over-sized

drooping, out of round...pancake.

[Kindigger]

6. Be thankful

They could be cowboy hats.

[XemaSab]

24. That might be really cool

I mean, the Africans can wear crazy native outfits, why not the US? :shrug:

[theboss]

35. We did that look at Lake Placid

It was very Urban Cowboy.

[Captain Hilts]

53. I'm sick of the regular cowboy themes our team's ensemble usually reflects. nt

[itsrobert]

15. Maybe they put Air Conditioning in the hats?

That would explain why they are so big.

[muriel_volestrangler]

17. Hmm ...

:evilgrin:

[Sheltiemama]

36. They looked like berets.

They don't look like berets on the carefully styled and posed models in the picture here, but in the real world, in the opening ceremonies, they looked like berets, which made no sense at all. I was watching with my mother, and she said, "Why did he put them in berets?" The oversized polo logo is just plain tacky. Mom wanted the uniforms to have more red on them, too.

[stanwyck]

49. OK. This is going to sound racist

but only Samuel L. Jackson could wear that cap and look cool.

[Tanuki]

7. They look like chauffeurs

from an old movie.

[OneBlueSky]

8. hate 'em . . . they look like country club attendants . . . n/t

.

[Sanctified]

9. The only thing I did not really care for was the color of the hats.

I like the style of the hats but I don't really care for them being white.

[Ghost in the Machine]

11. I wouldn't be caught dead dressed like that...

:puke:

[DemoTex]

13. Looks like something out of Jay Gatsby's closet.

Know what I mean, Vern?

[Mimosa]

38. EXACTLY, DemoTex! Really Over the Top.

I don't think Lauren should have been allowed to use his logo. What the hell is the excuse for letting him BRAND Olympic athletes?

[RobofSWVA]

14. other than the hats

other than the hats, I think the outfit looks fine.

[LibDemAlways]

16. The only thing remotely athletic-looking about the

get-up is the Lauren signature polo pony. They look like they could be posing for the "Welcome Aboard" photo on some exclusive cruise line for preppy millionaires.

[LynneSin]

18. What do you expect from someone dating George Bush's niece

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lauren_Bush

[ColbertWatcher]

21. Holy crap! Is there anything the GOP can do without funneling money to family? n/t

[lanlady]

19. a lot better than what the Hungarian team had to wear

Ghastliest suits ever seen:

[mdmc]

44. sharp!

[donco6]

45. Bloody pigeon diarrhea? n/t

[Supersedeas]

20. isn't it representative of the modern American athlete--advertising trumps substance

almost everytime.

[AlCzervik]

22. Prep School caddies circa 1930. Tend the pin kids.

[theboss]

25. This is a popular hip hop look now

[AlCzervik]

26. But Kanye looks good, he could wear a burlap sack and look good.

[theboss]

27. I'm just saying, it's a super trendy look at the moment

So, there you go.

[Mudoria]

63. It's amazing that West's head fit through

the sweater actually. From various articles I've read he seems to have an ego about the size of the solar system.

[theboss]

23. It looks like Kanye West designed it....

But I like it.

[Blue_Tires]

28. crass commercialism in the olympics? who ever heard of such a thing??

:sarcasm:

[MoeHayNow]

29. They were really no worse

than any of the other suits worn by some of the other countries.
I thought they were all pretty bad.

[zorahopkins]

30. What Would Tim Gunn Say?

OMG, those uniforms are so boring!

If one of the designers on Project Runway had come up with that, Heide Klum would say "auf weidersehn" so fast!

[stanwyck]

50. Actually, a couple of the Project Runway designers

did a better job on their designs for the women for the opening ceremonies. They actually understood that these are athletic women, but still women. I found the uniforms too androgynous for the women. Fine for the men (except for the caps -- which were badly executed). But the women needed a better silhouette. I think Lauren is intimidated by women who aren't models.

[Captain Hilts]

54. "Better silhouette" Do women always have to wear form-fiting clothes? nt

[stanwyck]

56. No. But why hide feminine curves

with masculine tailored clothing. We have smaller waists and fuller hips -- nothing to be ashamed. Why disguise our shapes?

[JI7]

58. most aren't hiding much in the outfits they wear for competition

[stanwyck]

59. They're dressed to win. Extra fabric

is a negative for gymnists, swimmers, track and field, and soccer players. They have good reasons beyond vanity to dress the way they do. They're competitive atheletes. But I get your point when it comes to beach volleyball. I would think these women would want more protection than what a thong offers.

[JI7]

73. my point is that just because they may wear loose clothing doesn't mean

they are ashamed and trying to hide their bodies.

[Captain Hilts]

68. Again, women in similar sports as men wear less - look at beach volleyball. nt

[Captain Hilts]

67. Are women's bodies public domain? They always have to be 'on display'?

Only 15% of women have the hourglass shape all women's clothes are designed for.

The average woman's waist in the US is 34"

Women wear jackets for the same reason men do: easy to put on, take off; has pockets!; looks businesslike.

[Bluebear]

70. The women's shot put team wants a word with you

:hi:

[Tierra_y_Libertad]

31. Why aren't the women dressed like Daisy Buchanan?

Instead of Gatsby?

[theboss]

34. I don't know what it is about neckerchiefs that gets me going...

Maybe it makes me think of air hosteses in the 60s or something. So fucking hot.

[SidDithers]

64. Part-time model hot?...

or BOOM hot?

Sid

[Captain Hilts]

55. The skirts would be around their ears in a stadium and no one wants to wear women's shoes. And...

a lot of athletes ain't built like Daisy Buchanan and would look really stupid.

Let's put all the men in form-fitting outfits - even the weight lifters!

[Bucky]

32. Looks like a Beneton ad.

[otohara]

33. Hell No - Some Of The Countries However

had terrible threads on. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121822851840725285.html

Hungarian women dresses - yuck.

[Arugula Latte]

42. When I first saw the Hungarian team's dresses, the phrase "multiple gunshot wounds" came to mind

Looks like the aftermath of a Bonnie & Clyde shootout ... :wtf:

[warren pease]

37. It's impossible to embarrass a country that tolerates an asshole like this as its "leader"...

wp

[Dukkha]

39. no one can outembarass our Idiot-In-Chef

that being said, Mr lauren the US Open called they want their caddies back.

[Deja Q]

41. Hey, that corporate logo is SUPPOSED to take precedence over something lame like the olympics!

:wow:

And :wtf: can't US uniforms be made in the US? This is ridiculous.

No wonder those 6 people have scowls on their faces.

[Cleita]

43. Well the lawn jockey resemblance doesn't help.

I think the contestant designers on "Project Runway" designed better uniforms than this in the twenty four hours that they were given last week.

[donco6]

46. Looks like the inside cover of Details mag.

Otherwise they're ok.

[deutsey]

47. It's hard to embarrass a place that has no shame. n/t

[Mimosa]

48. Hell, YES! Ralph Lauren embarrassed USA. How did he get away with it?

The cheap commercialization of the USA Olympic uniforms is shameful. How did it happen? I know Ralph lauren is a republican but this was too much.

[FrenchieCat]

51. Outfits look very Ralph Lauren. Looks like one of his ads.

Very preppy. I guess it could have been worse. The old money/Harry Potter look sells well, and that is all that this portrays.

[onenote]

57. a "firestorm" of controversy? Is there a gold medal in hyperbole?

[Marr]

60. Well, I bet the polo team loves it.

[Romulox]

61. Fonzworth? Is that you?

[TNOE]

62. Yea, this is important....

NOT.

[Overseas]

65. One logo for each nipple. /nt

[mitchum]

66. Wannabee WASP "Lauren" has always been a bad designer

[cwydro]

69. Looks like Palm Beach.

ugh. I hate that logo. If it were smaller, it wouldn't be so bad.

[erpowers]

71. I Like Roots Better

For a time I had hoped the head of Team USA would go back to using an American designer. However, after seeing the Ralph Lauren designed team suit at this year's opening ceremony I saw why Team USA had switched over to Roots. Sadly, they need to switch back to Roots again. I think olympic wear should be hip and cool. The suits designed by Ralph Lauren seem to be to formal in my opinion.

[nomaco-10]

72. The Chinese fiasco factor and bush drunk all week .....

would be hard for anybody to beat. RL would have to have sent the athletes out in pantaloons or garbage bags to top either one of those two entities.