The road to Rio is taking a detour through Houston as most USA athletes are stopping here first before the 2016 Summer Olympics kick off August 5.
Since July 23, athletes and staff have streamed into the George R. Brown Convention Center to be outfitted in Ralph Lauren attire for the Open and Closing Ceremonies in Brazil. Sixteen tailors and two stylists have been on hand to tailor the parade uniforms for the athletes, most of whom aren't regular department store size.
More than 700 Olympic athletes and staff and 400 participants in the Paralympics are expected to take part in "Team Processing," which includes official photos, uniform tailoring and cultural and security briefings for the Rio games. Olympic athletes will be processed in Houston through August 3, while Paralympic participants will be outfitted from August 30 - September 5.
The Rio Olympics run August 5 - 21. The 2016 Summer Paralympics for the world's best disabled athletes runs September 7 - 18, also in Rio.
The Opening Ceremony ensemble, released by Lauren on Friday, includes a patriotic striped T-shirt, white jeans with a navy belt, a navy blazer with gold buttons, red-white-and-blue boat shoes and striped bracelets. The flag bearer jacket, also designed by the Lauren team, features electroluminescent panels, so that the letters "USA" glow. The Polo Ralph Lauren Foundation will give $1 to the United States Olympic Committee for every social media post during the opening ceremony using the hashtag #LikeToLight.
The Closing Ceremony look for athletes from Lauren include a Pony-logo button-down shirt in red, white or blue, over a striped T-shirt, chino shorts, repp stripe belt, boat shoes and bracelet.
More than 100 athletes from the U.S. Men’s and Women’s Track & Field, Badminton, Taekwondo and Wrestling teams will depart from Bush Intercontinental Airport for Rio on August 3. United Airlines president & CEO Oscar Munoz and United employees will be on hand to show their support. United is the official airline of Team USA, flying athletes, their families and their gear to competitions, Trials and the Games.
Michael Phelps of the United States carries the flag during the Opening Ceremony of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games at Maracana Stadium on August 5, 2016.
