Canada鈥檚 Olympic and Paralympic athletes will be clad in Lululemon as they climb the podium in Beijing next year.
The Vancouver-based athletic company has signed on to become the official outfitter of Team Canada starting with the 2022 Winter Olympics. The deal will last through the 2028 Summer Games in Los Angeles.
David Shoemaker, CEO of the Canadian Olympic Committee, said he鈥檚 鈥済iddy鈥 about the partnership because of Lululemon鈥檚 鈥渁thlete-centric鈥 approach to clothing.
鈥淎t its core, we believe in Lululemon and what they can do for the future of the Canadian Olympic and Canadian Paralympic movements,鈥 he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not lost on us that they are an icon, that Lululemon is an incredible Canadian success story, an industry leader.鈥
Lululemon will provide athletes, coaches and other members of Team Canada with clothing and accessories for the opening and closing ceremonies, medal ceremonies, and to wear around the athletes鈥 village.
A teaser video for the collection juxtaposes close-up shots of marbled fabric with moving water, and of a textured material with a rugged landscape. Snippets flash of several athletes, including Toronto Maple Leafs captain John Tavares and bobsledder Dawn Richardson Wilson, modelling the pieces before the words 鈥淔eel Canada鈥 appear on the screen.
Karen O鈥橬eill, CEO of the Canadian Paralympic Committee, said Lululemon did a lot of research into the specific needs of Paralympic athletes, looking at everything from pocket placement to heat management.
鈥淚t can be as simple as an enlarged tab on a zipper for someone who might have challenges with mobility or locomotor,鈥 she said.
Lululemon CEO Calvin McDonald said he hopes Canada will be 鈥渢he best-dressed team at the Olympics.鈥
鈥淚 think starting with Winter Games has been a wonderful opportunity for us to showcase a lot of our unique innovation over science and feel and how the athlete will feel, and how the layers work,鈥 he said.
Shoemaker sees one potential problem with the partnership, though.
鈥淎thletes routinely trade items at the conclusion of Games and I don鈥檛 think there鈥檚 a single Canadian athlete that鈥檚 going to be willing to give up any of this stuff,鈥 he said with a laugh.
Part of the Team Canada collection was released Thursday, including the 鈥渇uture legacy bag.鈥 The oval cross-body bag features an embroidered maple leaf and 鈥淐anada鈥 repeatedly printed across the strap. Partial proceeds from its sales will go to the Canadian Olympic Foundation and Paralympic Foundation of Canada.
The full collection is set to be unveiled in Toronto on Oct. 26.
鈥淭o say I鈥檓 excited about the kit for 2022-28 is an understatement,鈥 O鈥橬eill said. 鈥淢ore importantly, I鈥檓 excited about what (Lululemon, the Canadian Olympic Committee and Canadian Paralympic Committee) can do together to move the bar for our country, our communities using sport as a platform.鈥
鈥擥emma Karstens-Smith, The Canadian Press