A bit of a Hunger Games moment, no? Team USA unveiled its opening ceremony uniforms for the Rio Olympics on the Today show on Friday, July 29. While the threads, designed by Ralph Lauren, are as preppy and patriotic as ever, there’s one flashy twist: the U.S. flag bearer, who has yet to be announced, will sport a blazer that glows.
As seen in the video above, the flag bearer’s jacket, which is navy with the letters USA embroidered across the back, will boast electroluminescent panels that will light up key elements (like the letters). As a release from the label put it, the futuristic garment is meant to spotlight the “classic American tailoring out of New York with innovative technology developed in Silicon Valley.”
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“The Flag Bearer Jacket will literally light the way for Team USA as they represent our country in the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Games,” said David Lauren, executive VP, global advertising, marketing and communications, in a statement. “This groundbreaking jacket exemplifies Ralph Lauren’s continued exploration of the intersection of fashion and technology. For an athlete, being chosen as the flag bearer for Team USA is an extraordinary honor, and we wanted to pay tribute to that position.”
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Meanwhile, the rest of the athletes will wear Lauren’s classic, tailored, pony-emblazoned blazer with a high-necked, red-white-and-blue-striped shirt, cropped white pants and Americana boat shoes.
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Team USA will wear the uniforms when it marches into Maracana Stadium on Friday, August 5, the official first day of the Olympics.
Ralph Lauren has been the official outfitter of the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Teams since 2008. Pieces from the Olympic collection are already available to purchase in select Ralph Lauren stores and online. They’ll also be available at the USA House Shop in Rio.
The Rio Olympics begin August 5 and will be streamed live on NBCOlympics.com and on the NBC Sports app. The Rio Paralympics begin September 7 and will be streamed live on TeamUSA.org.
