Canadian athletes attempting to reach the podium at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games will also be looking fashionable for the entire world to see.
For the second consecutive Olympic and Paralympic Games, Lululemon is outfitting Canada’s athletes, coaches and staff, with high-end, expensive and stylish clothing. This year's collection includes a $398 bomber jacket, a $248 convertible jacket, and $198 convertible pants.
Shopper Brianna Latremouille mostly likes what she has seen so far.
"I prefer the men’s more than the women’s," she said, adding she found the clothing for women a bit too colourful. "It is not as subtle as I prefer my wardrobe to be."
Canadian athletes will receive a kit that includes pants, shorts, socks, sneakers, bags, fanny packs and pullovers.
Ralph Lauren has been the official outfitter for Team USA since 2008. In addition to the athletic clothing for athletes, the Americans have also deployed a 1980s retro, preppy style, with jeans, sports coats, button-down shirts, and pullovers. The entire USA Ralph Lauren kit has a value of more than $3,400.
"I like it all a lot, and it all looks good," said Halifax Wanderers president Derek Martin, who has experience using a clothing brand to help generate community-based excitement for his soccer team.
"You look at an example like us with Macron (sportswear) and how they came on board to support the Canadian Premier League and all their teams," said Martin. "They are company based out of Italy, and this was the opportunity to launch their brand in Canada."
Martin said on a much grander scale, the global marketing and business opportunities for Lululemon and Ralph Lauren are endless.
Athletes will wear and display these clothing items to an even broader audience on social media.
"People take a lot of interest in the uniforms of our country and what they’re wearing, because that’s going to represent us on the global stage," said digital anthropologist Giles Crouch.
In addition to Canadian and American athletes wearing trendy, stylish North American-style outfits, Mongolia’s Olympians have already gained a lot of international excitement and curiosity with their traditional Mongolian clothing they will wear at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games Opening Ceremonies.
