Ralph Lauren to make American-made Olympic uniforms in 2014, as senators call for wardrobe change

[WestVirginiaRebel]

Fox News:

Ralph Lauren announced Friday that the uniforms it provides the U.S. Olympic team during the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi, Russia, will be made in the United States.

"We have committed to producing the Opening and Closing ceremony Team USA uniforms in the United States that will be worn for the 2014 Olympic Games," the company said in a statement.

The announcement came on the heels of intense scrutiny by lawmakers after learning that the uniforms for this year's Summer Games in London were made in China.

Six senators put out a statement late Friday that they’ll introduce a bill that, if passed, would require the U.S. Olympic Committee to adopt a policy that ensures the ceremonial uniforms are "sewn or assembled in the United States."

"The U.S. Olympic Committee was 100 percent wrong to outsource the manufacturing of U.S. uniforms for the opening ceremony to China," Sen. Bob Casey. D-Pa., one of the bill’s sponsors, said.

Although Ralph Lauren agreed to make future uniforms in the U.S., the company did not address calls by some politicians to produce new uniforms this year.

Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., who is also sponsoring the new bill, called on the committee to use an American company, suggesting Rochester-based suit maker Hickey Freeman as an ideal candidate for the job.

He also said the New York state firm would be "thrilled" to partner with Ralph Lauren provided Ralph Lauren wants to make the uniforms stateside.

"Team USA is seeing red instead of red white and blue, and it is clear that the U.S. Olympic Committee should start over and provide the U.S.-made uniforms these athletes deserve," said Schumer.

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I'd see more red over the uniforms' design...

[pollyannaish]

I miss the cowboy hats. Berets suck.