Olympic snowboarders or astronauts? Team USAs outfits for PyeongChang look inspired by NASA.
One small step for man, one giant quad cork 1800 for mankind.
While Team USA’s Olympic snowboarders will only need to travel to PyeongChang, South Korea, to compete in next year’s Games, they’ll look ready to go to the moon thanks to Burton’s astronaut-inspired uniforms. Unveiled Thursday, the uniforms appear predominantly white with red detailing and feature what looks to be a NASA-inspired logo.
“This is the fourth Olympic uniform that Burton and myself have had the distinct pleasure of working on,” the head designer for Burton’s Olympic division, Greg Dacyshyn, said in a statement. “Like the previous three which had a retro inspired influence, the 2018 theme is also a heavy nod to Americana, because its main influence is the iconic suits of the United States’ leading space exploration program. I have always loved the astronauts’ suits, because not only do they have such a cool and amazing aesthetic, they also were designed to function under the most extreme conditions, so this gave us an incredible platform to push the innovation and technology of the garments as well. My hope is that these pieces help the athletes go where no rider has gone before.”
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Although the clothing appears white, it is actually made in part with an aluminum-coated iridescent silver fabric that’s used mainly in the manufacturing of audio equipment, according to Burton.
“The end result is a super technical, lightweight and waterproof fabric that reflects and deflects light as well as sound,” the company said.
The most fun part of the uniform might be what most viewers won’t see. The inside of the jackets feature sewn-in artwork in the lining, including Korean translations of phrases such as “Do you speak English?” and “Wish me luck!”
Team USA may not need luck. Since 1998, when snowboarding was added to the Olympic program, the United States has fielded several top contenders, including Shaun White, Ross Powers, Kelly Clark, Hannah Teter and Kaitlyn Farrington, all of whom have won gold for the United States in the men’s and women’s halfpipe competitions.
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Additionally, Seth Wescott has brought home two golds in the snowboard cross event, and Sage Kotsenburg and Jamie Anderson won golds at the inaugural men’s and women’s slopestyle events in 2014.
Team USA is expected to finalize the 2018 Olympic team in January.
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