U.S. athletes who attended the closing ceremony of the Winter Olympics in Sochi Sunday night were in high spirits, but their Ralph Lauren outfits were much more subdued than the opening ceremony ensembles that drew so much attention — and a lot of derision.
The heavily-criticized team cardigan, priced at $595, sold out on the Lauren website and is fetching more than $3,600 on eBay.
The team celebrated the end of the Olympics in sharp-looking navy peacoats with a red banner stripe, white turtlenecks and navy wool caps adorned with Nordic-inspired reindeer and snowflake motifs, white athletic pants and black leather boots with red laces.
The toned-down nature of the closing outfits was a sharp contrast to the red-white-and-blue patchwork cardigan sweaters that helped the U.S. team stand out in the opening ceremony. I thought the opening outfits looked terrific particularly when the team entered as a group, but I was in the minority, as many critics lashed out, comparing them to tacky Christmas sweaters and calling them "eye-poppingly awful."
But, as usual, Lauren had the last laugh. The team cardigan, priced at $595, sold out on the Lauren website and is fetching more than $3,600 on eBay.
The closing ceremony peacoat, with the official U.S. Olympic team logo and the signature Lauren polo pony is available on the Ralph Lauren website for $795.
U.S. Olympic athletes wor a Ralph Lauren navy wool pea coat adorned with a red banner stripe to the closing ceremony.
