- Title: Polo Ralph Lauren U.S. outfit ready for hot, humid and unique summer Olympics
- Date: 14th July 2021
- Summary: NEW YORK, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (JULY 14, 2021) (REUTERS) WINDBREAKER / POLO BAG ON DISPLAY PILE OF SWEATERS ZOOM IN ON SEAL ON WINDBREAKER BLAZERS ON DISPLAY (SOUNDBITE) (English) THREE-TIME OLYMPIAN, OLYMPIC BMX RACER GOLD MEDALIST AND POLO RALPH LAUREN AMBASSADOR, CONNOR FIELDS, SAYING: "This time around, they had to plan for it being very hot and humid. Japan, the climate is hot and humid. When you're doing the ceremonies, you're outside for hours standing in the stadium. So this blazer is definitely a little bit thinner than ones we've had in the past. The jeans are very, very lightweight. Very thin, and won't be too hot." TEAM U.S.A. SIGN / U.S. FLAG JERSEY ZOOM IN ON COOLING TECHNOLOGY ON FLAG BEARER JACKET (SOUNDBITE) (English) THREE-TIME OLYMPIAN, OLYMPIC BMX RACER GOLD MEDALIST AND POLO RALPH LAUREN AMBASSADOR, CONNOR FIELDS, SAYING: "So sitting right here, this is the flag bearers' jacket. So they have a white one where the rest of the team will be wearing blue and the cut hole on the base of the neck is where the fan will be, the cooling technology, as well as a battery pack, which will go in the pocket of the jacket... when you're holding that flag, which is heavy, for hours, they'll be able to stay cool in that heat of Japan." "TEAM USA OPENING CEREMONY FLAG BEARER JACKET" WRITTEN ON GLASS / SPORTS JACKET FORMER TEAM U.S.A. OLYMPIC FLAG BEARER, SIX-TIME OLYMPIC FENCER, FORMER BRONZE MEDAL WINNER, PETER WESTBROOK, WEARING FLAG BEARER JACKET, TALKING WITH FIELDS (SOUNDBITE) (English) FORMER TEAM U.S.A. OLYMPIC FLAG BEARER, SIX-TIME OLYMPIC FENCER, FORMER BRONZE MEDAL WINNER AND POLO RALPH LAUREN AMBASSADOR, PETER WESTBROOK, SAYING: "All the athletes wear the Ralph Lauren gear. The flag bearer wears this [jacket]. Especially fitted. They fit your size, they customize everything to fit every athlete. So when we walk in, not only do we look cool, we feel cool - excuse my expression - we even smell cool. So all the athletes around the world, we look at one another. Sometimes all the other athletes from different country, they like to change and wear our gear." TEAM USA BAG / TEAM USA SHIRT RED, WHITE AND BLUE BELT / BLUE BLAZER POLO RALPH LAUREN HAT / POLO WINDBREAKER (SOUNDBITE) (English) THREE-TIME OLYMPIAN, OLYMPIC BMX RACER GOLD MEDALIST AND POLO RALPH LAUREN AMBASSADOR, CONNOR FIELDS, SAYING: "So a lot of people don't realize what really fully goes into the Olympics, right? When we watch it on TV every four years, the process starts years in advance, both for the athletes as well as all of the sponsors, the teams, the staff, The logistics that go into planning an event with 600 American athletes, plus staff going to it is just a ridiculous amount. So the, the uniforms and what we were planning on wearing has been put together for years. And it was just kind of put on hold with the one- year delay. But everything was ready to go in 2020 and just had to be put on hold." CLOSE OF SEAL FOR UNITED STATES OLYMPIC TEAM EXTERIOR OF POLO RALPH LAUREN STORE
- Embargoed: 28th July 2021 19:20
- Keywords: Olympics 2021 Polo Ralph Lauren Prince Street Soho Team USA Tokyo Olympics
- Location: NEW YORK, NEW YORK, UNITED StATES / UNKNOWN LOCATION
- City: NEW YORK, NEW YORK, UNITED StATES / UNKNOWN LOCATION
- Country: USA
- Topics: Olympics,Sport,United States
- Reuters ID: LVA003ELTDOW7
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:As the world gears up for a summer Olympics like none other, team U.S.A. is turning to the familiar for its official uniform.
The Olympics will take place without spectators in host city Tokyo as a resurgent coronavirus has forced Japan to declare a state of emergency in the capital that will run throughout the Games.
And as they have since 2008, the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Teams have tapped Polo Ralph Lauren to design their look for the opening and closing ceremonies that will still be viewed via television.
The U.S. fashion designer invited Reuters to its store Wednesday (July 14) in the Soho neighborhood of Manhattan for a viewing of the line.
And the clothes beam red, white and blue while evoking the Polo Ralph Lauren brand's classic prep look.
"They fit your size, they customize everything to fit every athlete. So when we walk in, not only do we look cool, we feel cool - excuse my expression - we even smell cool," Peter Westbook, a former flag bearer for Team U.S.A., six-time Olympic fencer and Polo Ralph Lauren ambassador, told Reuters.
The brand has made sure to particularly emphasize reds in the line in a nod to host country, Japan, it said.
Tokyo's blistering summer heat also figured prominently in the design. The jacket for the U.S. flag bearer will feature a cut hole in the back to make room for cooling technology and a battery pack.
Originally scheduled for last year, the summer Games will run from July 23 to August 8 in the Japanese capital.
For Polo Ralph Lauren, the delay hardly dampened the designer's vision.
"Everything was ready to go in 2020 and just had to be put on hold," said, Connor Fields, a brand ambassador and three-time Olympian for BMX racing.
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