At $2,000 a pop, the costumes supplied by Ralph Lauren to America’s Olympic athletes are not cheap. But apparently, Mr Lauren and co still couldn’t afford to pay American workers to sew them — they were made in China. From the BBC:
The classic navy blue blazers, white trousers and skirts, and red-accented ties and berets may have a distinctly American look, but the label inside reads “Made in China”, ABC News revealed.
“I think they should take all the uniforms, put them in a big pile and burn them. And start all over again,” the Los Angeles Times quoted [Sen Harry Reid D-NV] as saying.
“I hope they wear nothing but a singlet that says ‘USA’ on it painted by hand. We have people in America working in the textile industry who are desperate for jobs,” he concluded.
Also: Ralph Lauren once threatened to sue us for making fun of their cack-handed photoshopping.
London 2012: US Ralph Lauren uniform made in China
(Thanks, Ben!)
(Image: thumbnail of a photo that is widely credited to AP, but which may be a Ralph Lauren publicity photo)