Team USA is dressed like the future
America's Olympians are wearing Volcom and Skims
The 2022 Olympic Games opened today in Beijing, and Team USA is wearing American brands like Ralph Lauren, Volcom, Nike, and Kim Kardashian’s Skims.
Though American athletes are competing, the U.S. isn’t sending a delegation of top administration officials to the Games this year like usual, to protest the Chinese government’s human rights abuses. The U.S. is being joined in its diplomatic boycott by Britain, Australia, and Canada. Read to the end of this post to learn more.
The last U.S. diplomatic boycott was at the 2014 Games in Sochi, Russia, in protest of Russian laws that discriminated against queer people. The last full U.S. boycott to include athletes was at the 1980 Games in Moscow, in protest of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.
To send a delegation to Beijing “would treat these Games as business as usual … and we simply can’t do that,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki said in Dec. 2021, but “the athletes on Team USA have our full support.”
Ralph Lauren
Team USA’s Opening Ceremony uniforms were designed by Ralph Lauren, an official outfitter since 2008. The $1,998 hooded anorak, above, is made from recycled polyester and patented intelligent insulation that expands or contracts based on temperature.
The Closing Ceremony uniform includes a $495 navy turtleneck sweater with a 13-star U.S. flag and Olympic rings knit in the front, and a $1,798 down jacket in red and blue.
The best items from the collection won’t be worn in either ceremony, though. The ring print tracksuit is a rare references to the Olympic Rings that doesn’t follow the mark’s strict, conservative brand guidelines, and the $498 ombré down coat and $228 tie-dye pile fleece jacket are so hot.
Volcom
Costa Mesa, Calif.-based Volcom replaced Vermont’s Burton as the official outfitter of the U.S. Snowboard Team this year, and their 2022 collection is heavy on a black-and-white op art print. It reminds me of the black-and-white camouflage wraps that go over unreleased cars to hide their body lines, and I feel like I’m in the metaverse just looking at them.
Each piece in Volcom’s collection comes with a $12 red, white, and blue faux rabbit’s foot in the pocket. The $25 patches are sold separately and include USA lettering and asymmetrical stars. Volcom also has their own $10 USST mask.
Spyder
Spyder partnered with graffiti artist Eric Haze for the U.S. Ski Team’s uniforms. Freeskiing athletes have customizable options for their jackets, hoodies, and reversible vests to allow for individuality while still looking cohesive as a team.
The collection features Haze’s signature star mark, featured prominently on the one-piece jumpsuit for aerials. Spyder calls the jumpsuit “No wrinkles. All gold,” and Haze wrote on Instagram, “I can’t wait to see these in the air.”
Skims
Skims became an official Team USA partner for the 2020 Tokyo Games, and they’re continuing this year with rib barrettes, dipped thongs, and a cozy knit set that includes joggers, robes, and hoodies. Each female athlete on the Olympic and Paralympic team gets a full set of the 14-piece lounge and sleepwear line, a retail value of $830.
“This new collection features warmer materials, bringing extra comfort to Team USA's athletes as they compete in cooler temperatures,” Peter Zeytoonjian, Senior Vice President of U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Properties, said in a press release.
The campaign for the collection was photographed by performance artist and frequent Kanye West collaborator Vanessa Beecroft, who shot Olympians including snowboarder Chloe Kim and ice dancer Madison Chock.
Nike
Team USA’s Medal Stand uniforms were designed by Nike. The $370 ACG Storm-FIT ADV “Chain of Craters” jacket (below left) and $215 ACG Therma-FIT ADV “Rope De Dope” jacket (below right) are both made from at least 75% recycled polyester or nylon fibers, and the $140 trail paints have space for a carabiner. The “USA” logo on the uniforms is an ambigram, so it’s always right side up.
The 2022 Olympics run through Feb. 20. Go Team USA 🇺🇸
Learn more
The State Department said last year on the final day of the Trump administration the Chinese government was committing genocide against Uyghurs and other minorities and restricting their freedom of speech and worship. The State Department said Chinese authorities had performed forced sterilizations and abortions on Uyghurs, forced them into marriages with non-Uyghurs, and separated Uyghur children from their families. The Biden administration has continued to call China’s human rights abuses genocide. Amnesty International estimates 1 million Uyghurs and other minorities have been detained.
Further reading:
The U.S. says China is committing genocide against the Uyghurs. Here’s some of the most chilling evidence. [USA Today]
U.K. independent body: China committed genocide in Xinjiang [ABC News]
Meet the artist who painted Enes Kanter’s shoes calling out Chinese oppression [Yello]
Determination of the Secretary of State on atrocities in Xinjiang [State Department]
This is cool
I tracked down the brand guide for the 2002 Salt Lake Games. The official typeface was Frutiger, in 45 Light, 55 Roman, and 65 Bold. See more here.
I wrote in the latest newsletter how former first lady Melania Trump’s latest NFT sale was hit by a crypto crash. You can read the full issue here. — Hunter
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