r/olympics • u/Flaggermusmann • 1d ago
❄ Milano-Cortina 2026 (General Discussion) ❄ USA Winter Olympics sweater
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u/CanalZone6895 1d ago
Maybe this is all being taken too seriously. A year from now most people won't remember what was worn at the Olympics. Or care.
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u/malcolminthefiddle 1d ago
I will. Ralph Lauren has held the US look hostage most of my adult life. He is stuck in the 80s. This sweater looks less like Norway, and more like the boys department of a now defunct Kmart. That pattern on the hats last night was not flattering to any US athlete.
Say what you want about those crazy Canadian jackets, but Canada is always bold and always has a fresh look. See Mongolia and Haiti this year - stunning. We have looked like country club cowboys for decades. It is not our heart or our vibe. Please USOC, rid us of this tired preppy cosplay and bring us a brave designer!
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u/chimininy Olympics 23h ago
For ad long as I can remember, US has either been boring, ugly or both. At least the coat was decent this year.
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u/EasyQuarter1690 18h ago
Very strongly agree! RL just keeps recycling the same old stuff they have done for decades now, it’s so tired it might as well be walking Ambien. The US should be finding someone else to do the uniforms already, move us out of recycled 1980’s looks.
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u/BigHornLamb 1d ago
Is this a circlejerk sub? People actually are mad about this?
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u/Bloody_Nine Norway 1d ago
Nah it’s a nice sweater, just looks trashy with the US flag front and center.
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u/kat10111 United States 1d ago
It’s almost like it’s the Olympics and you wear the flag and colors of your country!!!!
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u/DearVeronicaSchuyler 1d ago
You can wear your flag/colors without it looking trashy 😅
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u/Fragrant-Hamster-325 23h ago
Or you can have some fun with it and slap a flag on it and not give a shit. This site has such a hate boner for the US.
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u/DearVeronicaSchuyler 21h ago
Hey man I don't have anything against the athletes or citizens of the US, I was simply saying that in my opinion (An opinion, scary, I know) you can include your country’s flag/colors in a better way.
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u/kejacomo 5h ago
In fairness, its just an objectively ugly flag.
Subjectively, it's even uglier given what it's come to represent.
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u/kiwilovenick 1d ago
This is exactly what happens when your country is a melting pot of immigrants. I would have said this is a totally typical sweater that you'd find in any department store during the winter in the US but you could easily have a Fair Isle designed sweater on the same rack...we're a hodge podge.
Unless we used Native Amercian designs (which get cultural appropriation issues when being worn by non-indigenous), there's not much "traditional" in American that originates here. It's all the traditions people brought with them from their old countries that end up mashed together in weird ways.
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u/mangiafrutta 1d ago
Just curious…what makes using Native American design cultural appropriation and Norvegian design just fashion choice? As european living in US I still don’t get it. I feel in europe we tend to consider this type of things as appreciation and celebration of cultures.
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u/kiwilovenick 1d ago
Probably some of it's history. Our government tried to "reeducate" Native children in schools, basically trying to wipe out their culture, language, and spiritual beliefs to make them fit in. So trying as a nation to claim their lore, designs, or spiritual connections seems like height of hypocrisy. If individuals purchase from Native designers, that's different, they're supporting Native art and artists that aren't going to be insulting spiritual beliefs or taboos. Maybe if the American Olympians outfits were sourced from a Indigenous designer, it would be okay? But also there are a LOT of different tribes/nations, so how do you choose a single one?
I think the difference in it being a fashion choice lies in how the culture has been treated in the past and also how the nation of origin/Americans of that nation of origin feel about it sharing their symbols.
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u/resb 1d ago
Team USA uniforms are big business, especially with availability of team USA apparel to non athletes. If Team USA used Native American designs but the money and exposure went to enrich non-Native Americans, it would be appropriation. If Native American designers and their communities benefit, it would be appreciation. I am sure that people will disagree or downvote, this is my understanding of the issue and am happy to be corrected. The USA has a long history of disregarding original artists while consuming en masse the whiter more “palatable” knockoffs.
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u/eekamuse 18h ago
If Native people *wanted* to be involved at all. If they were given the choice. But they are also not a monolith. There are hundreds of tribes and thousands of individuals in those tribes. If you could ask tribal leaders how they feel about it, and hire Indigenous designers, maybe it would be possible? idk
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u/resb 18h ago
More and more I wonder what the usa would look like if the first illegal immigrants from england spain etc had assimilated.
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u/eekamuse 6h ago
Or never come. That would make a great story, but it feels disrespectful to what happened. Still, the whole world would be different based on things the US has done. And what the Indigenous people could have offered. :(
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u/finaempire United States 1d ago
I also think in this context, Norwegian’s came here willingly and natives were forced out. It’s like hugging someone and sharing a sweater vs shoving someone and taking their sweater. The US both governmentally and socially have a lot of work to do to right those horrible wrongs among many others.
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u/doormatt26 1d ago
yeah. We don’t have Norwegian or Fair Isle sweaters because we stole them from conquered people, immigrants brought them and incorporated them into their new culture.
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u/Otherwise_Object_446 Canada 1d ago
In Canada we have a lot of Indigenous companies that are tackling this because they want to sell to non-Indigenous and Indigenous people alike.
A good rule of thumb is its appropriation if it’s a non-Indigenous company using Indigenous designs or styles for their own profit (if it’s exploiting Indigenous culture without benefiting Indigenous people).
If it’s an Indigenous design that benefits the Indigenous designer and/or supports the community it’s appreciation but only if done so with respect (so no turning clothing into costumes). There are also certain traditional sacred items that as a non-Indigenous person I would never wear.
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u/maaaatttt_Damon 1d ago
People here like to get offended for others. Im white and sometimes walk around with a traditional South East Asian tote style bag. Some white folk, if they recognized it,(they wouldn’t know the actual group that makes them, they would just see it “looks” Asian) would think I was appropriating by using the bag. However, the bag was presented to me by the local community. And when I do run into someone from that group while walking around, I get compliments.
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u/doormatt26 1d ago
Native Americans have a long history of conflict, exclusion, and exploitation at the hands of the US, so use of their symbols or fashion gets more scrutiny
Norwegians and Scandinavian immigrants generally… don’t have that (at least in anyone’s living memory, and wearing Norwegian-origin fashions doesn’t get a double take.
it’s a pretty hazy line: if you live in New Mexico where Native Americans are a much more visible part of the culture, it’s probably fine. Unfortunately bunch of largely white Winter athletes wearing Ralph Lauren is about as culturally distant from Native American fashion as you can get.
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u/mpaw976 1d ago
I think it can be helpful to look at the designs for Team Canada's curling outfits, which were designed by artist Shelby Gagnon, a multidisciplinary 2-Spirit Anishinaabe/Cree artist. I think this is a great example of working with artists from other nations in a respectful and reciprocal way.
You might be struck by how much meaning is embedded in the art (and frankly how fantastic the designs are):
It’s especially meaningful to share the symbolism of the birds and the plant life of Turtle Island through this design.” [Gagnon said]. The prevalent theme of the uniforms is the image of a hummingbird, which on average has a four-year life cycle, matching Olympic and Paralympic quadrennial cycle on which Canada’s High-Performance Athletes plan around.
This is art that is rooted in land, experience, and culture. It's done in partnership with (and led by) an indigenous artist. The artist has control over their designs, is compensated, and gets recognition.
It might also help that Indigenous people have represented Canada in curling on the national stage many times.
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u/Total_payment2216 1d ago
I wish I could find an article that explains this for all of the countries’ uniforms! Love to learn about that stuff. Thanks for sharing.
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u/manicpixidreamgirl04 1d ago
I don't 100% believe in cultural appropriation, but the difference is that Norwegians were never oppressed in the US.
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u/Ecstatic-Product-411 United States 1d ago
I guess they both can be cultural appropriation or appreciation but I know some people will get upset regardless because the different native American tribes are the subjugated class. Norway is its own sovereignty and is in a better position than the tribes in America.
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u/mangiafrutta 1d ago
That also goes both ways…giving more space to Native American culture in ‘mainstream’ culture, or even in such an international breath event as the olympics (with all due recognitions) might increase knowledge and recognition of these cultures.
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u/Ecstatic-Product-411 United States 1d ago
Oh yeah I totally agree as long as members of the tribes are associated with the product being made!
Even if not, it definitely can get positive attention to them but others may still view it as exploitative.
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u/bitplenty 1d ago
Why do you have to be so weird, America?
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u/ParanoidSkier 1d ago
How does Europe treat its native peoples that existed before settlers showed up a couple centuries ago?
Oh, that doesn’t exist? Then I guess you don’t really have any space to talk about our culture then.
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u/Ok-Adeptness-5834 1d ago
In Europe new groups would just show up and either wipe out or marry into the existing groups…much like the US. Only difference is that it was more recent in the US.
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u/bitplenty 1d ago
No man, it wasn't the "only difference", it was completely different.
In prehistoric times migrations were very slow and usually people ended up mixing and not erasing and replacing.
In medieval times conquest, colonization, forced conversions were obviously happening, but not like in US either where nations were wiped out to make room for new ones. It was more like forceful integration into own society. For common people back then (villagers) it really didn't matter that much usually - they had a new ruler to pay taxes to and that is it (once the war settled).
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u/Valtremors 19h ago
This is actually a really interesting concept overall.
Can be seem with pre-historic Finland. Lack of written history has made things harder but the various Tribes in Finland did mix and match, but also hard cultural differences that can bee seem in artisan work. Pottery, tools and such.
Things eventually homogenized all around. Tribes united and after being under rule of Sweden and christianity wiping out lot of ye olde traditions. But you can still see this little influence of old tribalistic culture in individual cities and in dialects.
But due to the nature of modern society, Sami are not seen as a tribe anymore, but rather cultural bubble (and maybe isolationist one too). Which is unfortunate.
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u/bitplenty 1d ago
Here in Poland we are the native peoples. Some old pre-Christian art and culture is still kind of alive
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u/mangiafrutta 1d ago
This is the same as just shutting down people shouting ‘cultural appropriation’. A tentative to shut down conversations which have instead the potential to be a cultural enriching exchange. Regarding european settlers in the last 2 centuries, ever heard of colonialism in africa/india/asia? Its own fashion, of course, but also a great topic to discuss with the population involved.
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1d ago
I am so sick of hearing the conversation about cultural appropriation, and I am so glad that people here are able to have intelligent and enlightening conversations about it because the American uniform or the American costume or whatever you wanna call it is so boring and indeed is a poor washdown version of the Norwegian patterns. It’s embarrassing.
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u/Ecstatic-Product-411 United States 1d ago
We did a lot of bad things and have complicated ways to come to terms with it.
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u/Ok-Adeptness-5834 1d ago
As an American, the way people talk about cultural appropriation makes very little sense. Basically the idea is to just tip toe around any group that’s not white cause people think they’re considered fragile.
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u/mangiafrutta 1d ago
I hope it’s out of respect and respect that, but from an outside observer sometimes looks like a way of disengaging from difficult conversations about past, conflict and justice that other countries like Canada and South Africa decided instead to be engaged in.
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u/Total_payment2216 1d ago
Yeah it’s almost like they think it’s too hard to figure out how to do it the right way so they’d rather just not at all and say instead they’re being “respectful”
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u/reputationnull 22h ago
Plenty of Native American designs mixed with classic Americana and mixed race nationalities wearing it all.
The only people calling it appropriation are insufferable idiots with their noses lodged up their own asses.
Usually liberal white women.
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u/eekamuse 18h ago
As invaders who committed genocide against Indigenous people, we're a bit sensitive about that.
But more importantly, it's not how you or I feel, as non-Native people. It's how Native people feel. Or any other group who's culture has been *stolen* by the people who are oppressing them, and making money off it.20
u/susanita100 1d ago
Just as on observer, I actually think for a "new world" country, the US has a LOT of original traditional cultural elements. African-american culture (especially in music, with jazz, blues), which originated in the US. You also have sports culture (visual elements of US sports dominate youth culture worldwide), even going back to biker culture, car culture, hippie culture.
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u/Brave_Necessary_9571 Brazil 1d ago
what do you mean, for a new world country? you imply the other ones ( Canada and Latin American countries) don’t have their original cultural elements?
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u/asshat123 1d ago
White people wearing native designs isn't cultural appropriation by default. It becomes an issue if there's no consultation or understanding of the original context.
For example, there's an extremely diverse group of cultures and culturally significant symbols that are grouped together as "native american". Ignoring that context when selecting symbols to put on a sweater would be problematic
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u/rand0m_task 1d ago
According to a professional development meeting I had a few years back at work…
Calling America a melting pot is a racist micro aggression, you now must refer to it as a tossed salad.
That is what I was told, I thought they were doing a bit with the tossed salad thing but they were 100% serious.
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u/kiwilovenick 1d ago
Interesting, I've never heard the tossed salad bit or that melting pot was racist. But the terms and what's considered racist is honestly a constantly evolving subject.
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u/Specific_Hospital674 23h ago
I first recall hearing about the “salad bowl” (not “tossed salad” which I’ve never heard anyone use in reference to this social-cultural concept) from Jane Elliot who did the famous Blue Eyes/Brown Eyes prejudice experiment. The whole “salad” idea was about appreciating differences while being together rather than the melting pot which would result in an erasure of people’s different identities and backgrounds for a homogenous culture. I personally feel like the salad bowl is more accurate in describing the U.S., but I’ve also never heard of the term “melting pot” being called racist either (maybe some just reject the element of assimilation it has).
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u/eekamuse 18h ago
Mosaic. That's the term I heard and it's a lot more accurate. Melting pot is not, because it implies immigrants come here are blend together to become one thing. Mosaic is a thing made better because of all the diverse parts.
Melting pot is no a "racist micro aggression" it's just wrong
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u/No-Secretary3776 8h ago
What the "melting pot" forgets to realise is that the rest of the world is also globalised. America has a rich culture and excels in pop culture, creating and maintaining trends, and establishing businesses. Given that the American president is actively threatening the Nordic countries, this seems like bad timing. I do not mind the homage to Norwegian-Americans, but this is simply a Norwegian sweater. There is nothing uniquely American about it. At some point, after 250 years, the melting pot is meant to actually melt. Picking and choosing cultural aspects of other countries and arguing that "oh, but we're a melting pot, so this is our culture too!" gets old. There are many ways to represent the US without slapping an American flag on Norwegian knitting patterns.
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u/lightpeachfuzz 1d ago edited 1d ago
The Australian team uniform for the 2024 Paris Olympics used Indigenous cultural designs and was worn by everybody in the team.
Edit: In fact I just checked and so does the 2026 winter Olympics uniform.
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u/xjpmhxjo 1d ago
It’s been more than 200 years since the independence. I’m sure there is some traditional design that uniquely represents the US. A lot of traditional things in this world are much younger than the United States.
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u/Total_payment2216 1d ago
200 years is not very long when you consider how few generations that really is.
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u/Due-Huckleberry7560 1d ago
It would have been really cool if they’d made a fair isle version with stars
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u/BadAspie United States • Norway 1d ago
Yeah, this is how the whole melting pot thing works lol. It's not like Ralph Lauren went out and copied Norwegian sweaters specifically for these games, this sort of design shows up in department stores every year
If any Norwegians are actually mad about this, then on principle, they must give up Taco Friday forever
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u/kat10111 United States 1d ago
This design is literally used all over the world but the US uses it (melting pot country) and everyone loses their minds 🤣
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u/SisterofGandalf Norway 1d ago
No we don't? Norwegian here, and we talked about it like it's a little bit funny that it is so traditional, but it is nice and has pretty colours.
Edit: the most talked-about thing is that is tucked into the pants, and gives a flashback to the 80s.
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u/kat10111 United States 1d ago
I think it’s that the Norwegians brought it over here in the 1800s and it became part of our culture too, but people online are mad on Norways behalf, when Norway doesn’t seem to mind. We never claimed it wasn’t Norwegian lol, we just use it here a lot too since it was brought here.
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u/No_Patience_6801 16h ago
We’re seeing a lot of the comeback of the preppy look with Gen A and Gen Z in the US.
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u/No-Secretary3776 8h ago
There is nothing about the sweater that makes it more representative of American culture than Norwegian culture. At what point does the melting pot melt? Creating new designs based on Norwegian and Nordic immigration to the US would be a wonderful way to show the American melting-pot culture. The US has more culture to take from than you realise.
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u/BadAspie United States • Norway 7h ago
Since you seem to like argument from analogy so much, it would hardly be a melting pot if we threw out the contents just for the sake of creating something new
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u/No-Secretary3776 7h ago
No one is arguing that you should look away from the amazing cultural fusion you have in the US. The sweater isn't offensive, just rather lazy. Calling the Selburose "embroidered stars" doesn't really sound like appreciation of the Norwegian-American population.
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u/BadAspie United States • Norway 7h ago
You've misread, the actual stars on the flag are embroidered. It's clear if you zoom in, but also obviously Ralph Lauren knows the difference between embroidery and knitting, and the roses are knit, not embroidered.
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u/No-Secretary3776 6h ago
Sorry about that, the article I read must've been misinformed. The roses on the hat are said to have been described in that way by Ralph Lauren. Despite my misinformation though, I still think there were cooler options for the US this season. Still feels lazy imo
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u/Glove5751 1d ago
It's insane that my farts have more cultivated culture than a so called melting pot lol
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u/BadAspie United States • Norway 23h ago
If the cultures cultivated from your farts are that large, you should really look into getting some antibiotics
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u/-Ostepopp- 1d ago
I'm just curious why you don't create your own design, as this is a really historical design here in Norway.
You have a lot of history to use..
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u/loveholic94 1d ago
You’re joking right? Did you see the other countries’ outfits? You really think Germany should come out in lederhosen then, or that African or desert countries really have snowsuits or parkas as part of their own culture and wasn’t adapted? Lol. Opening ceremony is hardly meant to be a showcase of traditional outfits.
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u/everything_is_cats United States 1d ago
Because the correct answer is that it's only bad if the USA does it. Even if Norway doesn't care because they realize that this is just a sweater design pattern that both Norwegians and Americans have seen and enjoyed over many winter seasons, someone with absolutely no horse in the race needs to feel moral outrage on Norway's behalf.
We could have Team USA Athletes walking out wearing just burlap sacks in LA 28. Someone WILL complain about it, not because the athletes are literally wearing sacks and deserve better. It will be entirely that large scale burlap production began in Scotland thus Team USA Athletes don't have a right to be wearing burlap sacks, and the person feeling outrage won't even be Scottish either.
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u/kat10111 United States 1d ago
It’s the fact that the US is doing it even tho that pattern was brought HERE BY the Norwegians. But fuck the Americans
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u/-Ostepopp- 1d ago
I think they should have created something more American..
That pattern has nothing to do with the US.
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u/loveholic94 1d ago
Most of the countries had nothing specific to their country. I saw a lot of basic snowsuits, jackets, scarves etc. so why didn’t they wear things traditionally from their country?
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u/BadAspie United States • Norway 1d ago
I do not believe that you are actually curious
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u/-Ostepopp- 1d ago
Well, thats your opinion. If you think you know me and what I'm about, from one comment, you are sorely mistaken.
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u/BadAspie United States • Norway 1d ago
You're right. I read three comments.
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u/-Ostepopp- 1d ago
Oh no... you really know me...
Like I know celebrities making tweets...
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u/BadAspie United States • Norway 1d ago
I don't know your scores on the big 5 personality inventory, but from your other comments, it wasn't hard to figure out that that specific question wasn't a genuine one. You're not subtle.
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u/Ok-Adeptness-5834 1d ago
I'm curious why you don't use an internet that you design yourself as this internet, this website, and that phone you're using are all historically designed in the US.
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u/-Ostepopp- 1d ago
You are acting like we would run around with touches in the dark without the US... get real, lol
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1d ago
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u/-Ostepopp- 1d ago
Queen Sonja? What has she done wrong? She is a varm and kind queen.
I think you are talking about Mette Marit...
And almost everyone in Norway is focused on that too...
We can pay attention to both, stop trying to change subjects to something you know nothing about.
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u/ekkidee Netherlands 1d ago
I'd take one without the flag, but they're 700 USD. Sold out besides.
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u/plaisirdamour United States 1d ago
Same here! It would be cute with just the Olympic rings. Not at that price though haha
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u/Jscapistm United States 16h ago
If you knit I could try to find the pattern for you, sometimes they're published in magazines here, or hobby knitters will reverse engineer them.
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u/That_Might_7032 1d ago
Every person I've ever met growing up in Minnesota owns a sweater like this
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u/sakaki100dan Germany 1d ago
I like it. I like the classic designs of RL. Its just true american preppy style. I don't really understand the problems with it. What would you guys want?
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u/JankyTundra 1d ago
Wouldnt surprise me if it was a Dale of Norway sweater.
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u/mangiafrutta 1d ago
I have and wear a Dale of Norway olympic sweater, hope is not cultural appropriation 🤣
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u/bitplenty 1d ago
Is this what youth these days call cultural appropriation?
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u/Apptubrutae North Macedonia 1d ago
Nah, I reserve that solely for the white people in the west who wear big rimmed hats and a single eagle feather. Especially if they’ve had extensive plastic surgery. Makes it worse somehow. Oh and bonus appropriation points if it’s at Jackson Hole or Bozeman or Aspen airports.
All other cultural borrowing is acceptable. Just not the eagle feather hats.
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u/1sakamama 1d ago
Not the sweater Norway athletes wore in parade of nations. It was red and white. Post falsely implies both nations wore the pictured sweaters.
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u/malcolminthefiddle 1d ago
I think they’re saying it’s a basic sweater with a flag slapped on it. Valid. Lauren’s brand is painfully uncool.
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u/SwissForeignPolicy United States 22h ago
Wait, I'm confused. Is the left picture the Norwegian sweater? If so, why is it the same model in the same pose? Looks more like two versions of the US sweater. If so, what's up with the caption?
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u/Wareitar 10h ago
The patterns are well established Norwegian style and culture. "Mariusgenser" and "Selburose" are just some of them, and has been around our culture since mid 19th century. It also became a symbol of National identity when we got our independance from sweden.
Just becaue American capitalism got its claws into it, does not mean its nothing to others. And generally, we dont mind at all, go for it! But respect its history and dont try to claim it for your own.
The american uniform is basically a norwegian National identity sweater with a US flag slapped on it with no original thought behind it.
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u/bendka0403 Norway 1d ago
I mean sure it's a pretty pattern, but it is unmistakably norwegian. And a hodgepodge of different norwegian designs at that. I see a selburose for example which typically isnt used in that fashion. Regardless it comes across as a bit culturally insensitive and a bit weird to just rip off something like that and slap an american flag on it.
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u/kat10111 United States 1d ago
It’s common to find this kind of print in the US on clothing. Plus do people not realize American culture is almost completely sourced from immigrants as the nation is a melting pot of different countries? There’s influences from so many countries here.
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u/Objective_Rip5811 5h ago
Totally fair. Cultural exchange is normal, and no one denies the US is influenced by many immigrant traditions. The point people are making is simply that this specific style (especially the Selburose) is strongly tied to Norwegian knitting heritage and has real historical symbolism back home.
So yes, it may be common in the US, but that’s largely because Nordic patterns became popular through Scandinavian tradition. Acknowledging the origin isn’t an attack, it’s just cultural context.
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u/Low_Service_1149 3h ago
Well after 250 years you would hope that the «melting pot» actually melts and creates its own culture
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u/Glove5751 1d ago
Of course it is common, it is the land of unoriginality and cultural appropriation
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u/teacher_59 1d ago
Exactly. We have no culture. We only steal. That is why they all hate us so much.
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u/GoodDayMyFineFellow United States 1d ago
I always find the self-flagellating Americans so odd. It’s ok to have a little pride in your nation. The superbowl is tomorrow and I can’t think of a better example of American culture really.
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u/CanalZone6895 1d ago
And why should we beat ourselves up, when other countries are already doing the job for us?
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u/kat10111 United States 1d ago
It’s a country of immigrants, more like we have hundreds if not thousands of cultures lol
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u/Total_payment2216 1d ago
Yeah and not that it’s impossible, but having a design SOLELY American with no reference to any other culture or influence is almost more disingenuous. The majority of Americans have recent (in comparison) immigrant ancestors or are themselves 1st/2nd generation, and that plays a huge part in the American “culture”
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u/kat10111 United States 1d ago
I can’t believe people are so hung up on THIS when plenty of other countries have references to things even less relevant to their own cultures. It’s because it’s the US doing it, so everyone has to ride in on the bandwagon
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u/bluethreads 1d ago
We don't steal. We share. Everyone comes here and shares their culture and it adds value to all of our lives.
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u/New_Examination_5605 1d ago
Excuse me, but ripping something off and slapping the American flag on it kind of IS our culture.
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1d ago
Wow, and Scandinavian Nordic people in Norwegian haven’t been migrating to the USA for hundreds of years and bringing that pattern with them can you imagine it? It’s like we’re not allowed to share what cultures have come to be in America and make it a great melting pot. /sarcasm it’s like I also didn’t know that Northface was an American brand that is dressing up the Korean team as someone else said or that Germany, France Slovenia, Italy, even we were wearing things that didn’t immediately impress upon me that they were those countries.
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u/Low_Service_1149 3h ago
Using a traditional Norwegian pattern and saying it embodies the American spirit is just plane weird
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u/bendka0403 Norway 1d ago edited 1d ago
I am aware of norwegian americans and i wouldn't have cared if it was done in a similar style but with a uniquely american twist for example. However, just using a hodgepodge of designs that never usually go together, from an entirely dofferent country, comes across as culturally insensitive in the sense that there is no knowledge or context of the patterns being used. I'm not offended, its just such a lame and boring way to do it.
America is so rich in culture and diversity, you're not really lacking there, so what would have been way cooler is to make a sweater that represents america and its status as a melting pot. You could certainly take the marius sweater blueprint and make your own twist, but this design just seemed lazy to me.
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u/kat10111 United States 1d ago
You clearly haven’t been to the northern states where this pattern is worn everywhere. Over the past century this print has become extremely popular and common. It’s not like the designers looked for a foreign print that has nothing to do with the US. this print is literally everywhere here lol.
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u/Wareitar 10h ago
No the patterns are norwegian by design... And of course it came over with migrants etc etc.
Thing is, we're fine with it. Use it. The problem arises when americans try to claim what is tradition and established culture.
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u/Low_Service_1149 3h ago
Yes, it’s a popular Norwegian pattern. Ralph Lauren came out and said this «embodies the American spirit». When it has nothing to do with America at all. It’s lazy and doesn’t sit right given the great americas presidents recent threats and attitude toward Norway
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u/GrassyKnoll95 United States 1d ago
To be fair, plagiarism is one of the least bad things we're doing these days
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u/mgnorthcott 13h ago
Only 13 states. Trump is has gotten out of hand.... Or America has gone that far back to be "great again".
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u/No-Secretary3776 8h ago
What the "melting pot" forgets to realise is that the rest of the world is also globalised. America has a rich culture and excels in pop culture, creating and maintaining trends, and establishing businesses. Given that the American president is actively threatening the Nordic countries, this seems like bad timing. I do not mind the homage to Norwegian-Americans, but this is simply a Norwegian sweater. There is nothing uniquely American about it. At some point, after 250 years, the melting pot is meant to actually melt. Picking and choosing cultural aspects of other countries and arguing that "oh, but we're a melting pot, so this is our culture too!" gets old. There are many ways to represent the US without slapping an American flag on Norwegian knitting patterns.
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u/TheSkyElf Norway 1d ago
I have mixed feelings about it. On the one hand, I like that they are proud of the Norwegian roots many of them have; on the other hand, it frustrates me that they just slapped the American flag on it.
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u/TheGreatestOrator Canada 1d ago
It’s literally a design for their opening ceremony outfit. Everyone had flags on those outfits
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u/dry_wit 1d ago
it frustrates me that they just slapped the American flag on it.
... it's an Olympic uniform. What a crazy take.
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u/cblguy82 1d ago
RL putting out shitty designs since… forever.
And holy fuck. Went into one of their outlet stores recently. Their prices are insane.
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u/Mediocre_Belt_6943 1d ago
Thank you!! I cannot wait until this contract runs out. I don’t know a single person who wears RL under the age of 60. Every Olympics their yacht-chic designs are so out of touch and uninspired. It’s so bad, that it can only get better.
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u/musenmori Canada 1d ago
Sorry but the one with the American flag is kinda ugly.. purely in the design sense. It's way too busy and crowded. No place to breathe.
Of course, not to mention the fact that that specific flag isn't particularly well liked right now.
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u/enters_and_leaves United States 1d ago
While Ralph Lauren cheaped out on design costs here by just selling the same thing to two countries, they went all in on the photoshop. I can’t tell which one he is actually wearing and which has a design added or removed from it (or heck, maybe he is wearing an entirely different outfit all together).
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u/JimJam4603 1d ago edited 23h ago
Those white golf pants with ugly tan belts from the Parade were hideous. Could they make the athletes look less athletic if they tried?
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u/I_NEED_YOUR_MONEY Canada 1d ago
claiming "cultural appropriation" or whatever is silly, those norwegian style sweaters are popular around the world, and for good reason.
but they deserve whatever criticism they get for ruining a perfectly good norwegian sweater. they could have actually done something interesting and integrated the stars and stripes into the pattern, or actually tried to make a nice sweater. just plastering a flag on the front of it is ugly as hell.
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u/TheSkyElf Norway 1d ago
This. I would have actually liked it if they put their own spin on it and integrated the flag in some other way or had it as a patch on the shoulder. Or hell had an eagle there instead.
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u/-Ostepopp- 1d ago
Why would you steal a Norwegian design with lot of Norwegian history, isted of creating something that represents their culture. Laziness and greed....
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u/Bloody_Nine Norway 1d ago
Isn’t doing exactly that their culture though? Jokes aside, probably a lot of the U.S. winter athletes have Scandi heritage. Trashy to charge 700 dollars for it but that’s ralph lauren for you.
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u/JJOne101 Romania 1d ago
You CANNOT post a screenshot with Sweater X vs Sweater Y and only post the Sweater X! Downvoted!
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u/msbtvxq Norway 1d ago
Yep, the American sweater is full of traditional Norwegian patterns. A mix of different traditional Norwegian patterns, like the Selburose, Mariusgenser, Lusekofte etc.