In just over two weeks, athletes from around the world will flood into Olympic Stadium, London, for the opening ceremonies of the 2012 Summer Olympics. Adorned in outfits meant to visually represent their home countries, the athletes will exude patriotism as they make their way around the venue, smiling and waving proudly to screaming fans of all nationalities.
So it may surprise some to learn that ABC News discovered Team USA’s opening ceremony uniforms, designed by Ralph Lauren, were made…in China.
ABC interviewed fashion designer Nanette Lepore, who is known for making her clothing in the U.S.:
"Why shouldn’t we have pride, not only in the American athletes, but in the American manufacturers and laborers who are the backbone of our country?"
Lepore also mentioned that, not only could the clothing have been manufactured in the United States, it could have been done more cost effectively.
ABC reached out to both Ralph Lauren and the U.S. Olympic Committee in search of answers about the foreign-made garb. In return, the network received a cryptic response from the committee:
"The U.S. Olympic team is privately funded and we’re grateful for the support of our sponsors. We’re proud of our partnership with Ralph Lauren, an iconic American company."
While this doesn’t answer ABC’s questions, it may raise others…such as, how iconic can an American company be if its products are produced outside of the United States?
Watch ABC News's video here.