Team USA's uniform for Olympics opening ceremonies? Blue jeans
NEW YORK - When Team USA walks among the world’s best athletes at the Paris Olympics’ opening ceremonies, they’ll be doing so in Ralph Lauren – and blue jeans.
On Tuesday, the designer unveiled the new look, billing the blazer and jean pairing as "unexpected" yet classic.
The look features tapered jeans, single-breasted wool blazers that come with red-and-white tipping, a blue-and-white striped Oxford shirt, and cream suede buck lace-up shoes.
For the closing ceremony, the team will wear white, moto-style denim jeans with matching jackets designed in patriotic red, white and blue.
![460a2e90-](https://images.foxtv.com/static.fox29.com/www.fox29.com/content/uploads/2024/06/932/524/ralph-lauren-getty.jpg?ve=1&tl=1)
Team USA outfits for the upcoming 2024 Paris Olympic Games, including opening and closing ceremony apparel, are displayed at the Ralph Lauren Madison avenue headquarters in New York on June 17, 2024. (Credit: Charly TRIBALLEAU / AFP) (Photo by CHARLY
This is Lauren’s ninth turn creating a look for Americans at the Olympics.
David Lauren, the company's chief branding and innovation officer and its founder's son, told The Associated Press that he was unbothered by the casualness of blue denim.
"We work very closely with Team USA to make the athletes feel at once dressed up, feel like a team, but at the same time comfortable and very distinctively American," he told The Associated Press on Monday during a media preview at the company's New York headquarters.
"Nothing says America like blue jeans, especially when we’re in Paris," Lauren added. "And it gives the athletes a chance to feel a sense of a culture but also feel like themselves and what is natural."
The company also designed Team USA gear available for sale starting Tuesday at RalphLauren.com, TeamUSAShop.com and company stores in the U.S. and France. Among the wares on offer are polo shirts made of 100% recycled cotton. It's the first time Ralph Lauren has achieved that level of sustainability in Olympic gear, David Lauren said.
Some proceeds of retail sales go to help support U.S. athletes training for their Olympic moments. Lauren wouldn't be more specific on how much money the company sends their way.
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The opening and closing ceremony uniforms, the same for the Olympics and subsequent Paralympics, were made in the U.S. The gear on sale to the public was made in both the U.S. and other countries.
When are the Paris Olympics?
The Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games will be one of the biggest events ever organized in France and will take place from July 26 to August 11, 2024.
There will be 206 countries represented at the Olympics, and 184 at the Paralympics.
This story was reported from Los Angeles. The Associated Press contributed.