The parade outfit includes a mostly red and blue shawl-collar sweater with antique buttons, a newsboy cap, a plaid shirt for the men, and a navy ribbed turtleneck for the women.

 

Long-sleeve T-shirts with big bold graphics printed on the chest are part of the Olympic Village wardrobe, as well as white warm-up jackets with red and blue stripes down the sleeves and old-school alpine ski sweaters decorated with reindeer.

 

David Lauren, Polo Ralph Lauren's senior vice-president of advertising, marketing and communications, said: "We took a lot of inspiration from the 1930s Games, reaching into the heyday of the Olympics and bringing to a more modern sensibility."

 

The company dressed the American athletes for Beijing Olympics last year and has signed on with the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) through 2012 in London to provide ceremonial clothes as well as recreational looks.

 

It is also creating the outfits for the Paralympic teams.

 

Many of the items are will also be available to the public.

 

Lauren said: "There's an interest in what athletes are wearing, but what people really want is what's commemorative, so they can hold on to something that's a piece of history."

 

 

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