It’s called Heritage Modern
Canadian athletes to wear hoodies, shearling hats But mukluks might be star of Winter Games
This time around, the hot item may not be a hat but maybe a boot; the colours are still red and white, but with green and yellow accent colours; luckily, everything goes nicely with gold, silver, and bronze. HBC last night unveiled part of what Canada’s athletes will be wearing at the Olympics in Turin, showing off their “ Heritage Modern” collection, and there’s not a stripey blanket-coat in sight. Those are so 1936 ( and very 1968, which is the last time the team wore them.) “We started off by thinking, okay, what does HBC have in common with the Olympics? Where do we bind — besides the colours?” said Suzanne Timmins, the store’s fashion director, noting that the red, green, yellow and black in HBC’s famous blanket are the same shades as the Olympic rings.
“ It’s heritage, not retro,” Timmins said, “and because we thought it would be expected that HBC might just be heritage, we wanted to put a modern slant on it.” So female athletes will have yogatrousers to wear when chilling out in the village instead of one- size- fits- all totally not- sexy sweatpants; men can kick back in hoodies and hockeyinspired jerseys. There’s even a shearling coat and those cool, mukluk- like boots. Though last night was the big launch, it’s not really opening night for the designers. That comes Feb. 10, during the opening ceremonies, when Canada’s parade gear will be seen for the first time. It was decided that outfit would remain a surprise until the 200- strong team marches in together.
“ I can’t miss it. I keep telling everyone it will be the biggest fashion show of my career,” said Tu Ly, one of the seven designers on HBC’s team, who intends to be in Turin to see them march in. “ There’s what, 100 million people watching the parade of nations? You can’t find a better platform.” The podium outfits will also remain a secret until a Canadian steps up to accept a medal.
This time, HBC isn’t making every item given to the athletes available to the public: The parade jacket and pant are only for athletes, as is the vest they’ll wear on the medal podium and their formal function blazers and pants.
Everything else is for sale, in Bay and Zellers stores across the country, and the prices range from $8 socks to a $575 shearling coat. The first time Canadian athletes really made a splash on the fashion scene was in 1998, when those red newsboy caps became the must- have item. Olympic uniforms are big business. The Bay paid $100 million for the rights to outfit Canada’s Olympians through 2012 — which includes the Vancouver games in 2010.
Athletes say putting on the uniform is a fashion moment.
“ It’s important because when you go to the Olympics, you want to feel like a winner, even before you get there,” said Brian Stemmle, who last competed in 1998 and so was a newsboy- cap wearer. “ It makes a big difference. You want to feel good, and it’s important to have that. And when these athletes go and put this gear on they’ll feel good. And everyone will be looking at them, instead of them looking over their shoulders at someone else’s gear.”
Still, the HBC designers realized that they would be measured against the success Roots had with their Olympic uniforms. There’s the cool mukluk boots — price: $300 — and what else?
“ I think the shearling hat will come a close second,” Ly said, “ because it’s so cool and it’s so hip.”