American fashion brand Ralph Lauren has been designing Team USA uniforms since the 2008 Beijing Olympics. The clothing is also to be worn off the court, at the opening and the ending ceremonies of the Paris 2024 Olympics. But Ralph Lauren has not been doing this without criticism during the last Games.
During Tokyo 2020, the brand was heavily criticized, mainly for exclusivity, a lack of diversity, and Ralph Lauren’s traditional approach to design. A common comment was, for instance, “to better represent the diversity of America and our athletes.”
For the release of the 2024 uniforms, the company’s Chief Branding and Innovation Officer David Lauren (grandson of founder Ralph Lauren) doesn’t comment on how or if he specifically thought about diversity when creating the uniforms. Instead, Lauren said that “he tried to create outfits inspired by the dynamic and vibrant host city of Paris,” as well as represent American culture and Team USA’s spirit – with a red, white and blue palette. A design keyword for Ralph Lauren has been “American Icons.” And it is easy to think of astronauts, presidents, and the girl-next-door when you look at the 2024 uniform collection. The uniform collection includes jackets, rugby shirts, sweaters and T-shirts. The collection features the brand’s first-ever 100 percent recycled cotton polo shirt.
