The Canadian team will march into the opening ceremonies Feb. 9 at the Pyeongchang Olympics dressed in the patriotic red-white-and-black apparel, in what is a virtual starting gun for the Games.
鈥淓verybody puts on that one jacket before the opening ceremonies, I think that鈥檚 when it all becomes real,鈥� said ski jumper Taylor Henrich. 鈥淵ou鈥檙e here as a team鈥� and I feel confident when I put it on, I鈥檓 like 鈥榃ow, this is so cool. So cool.鈥欌��
Fifteen athletes walked the runway at a downtown Toronto mall on Tuesday as Hudson鈥檚 Bay Co., unveiled its Team Canada collection for Pyeongchang. The patriotic apparel flaunts colour blocks of Canadian red and white, plus black. The opening ceremony parka falls to the mid-thigh and features 鈥淐anada鈥� emblazoned across the chest in bold white letters, and a large white Maple Leaf on the back.
鈥淏eing able to walk into opening ceremonies with the whole team, all wearing those red jackets, it was a special moment,鈥� long-track speedskater Gilmore Junio said about the 2014 Sochi Olympics. 鈥淒efinitely felt unified as Team Canada, and I think that really gave us a lot of momentum going into the Olympics.鈥�
Medal podium outfits feature a puffy red coat, while the athletes will march in the closing ceremonies in red and black softshell jackets. The collection also features buffalo check shirts, tuques and ball caps, and onesie pyjamas with a winter sport motif.
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鈥淚 loved (the pyjamas),鈥� said Henrich, who modelled the onesie at Tuesday鈥檚 show. 鈥淚 first put them on, I was like 鈥楾hey鈥檙e comfy, I could definitely walk around the Olympic village in it,鈥� Why not right? It鈥檚 Canadian.鈥�
The athletes said they鈥檒l never forget the day they received their Canadian team gear.
鈥淚t鈥檚 like Christmas when you open that up. It feels unbelievable to put this on, and really motivating,鈥� said curler John Morris.
鈥淚 think that鈥檚 kind of when it sinks in and when it feels real,鈥� added fellow curler Rachel Homan. 鈥淵ou win and you qualify, and that鈥檚 an exciting moment in itself. But once you鈥檙e able to finally put on that gear that you鈥檙e going to be competing in on an Olympic stage is kind of really that moment where you really get excited, and really feel a part of a team.鈥�
The style and colours, said Hudson鈥檚 Bay Co. president Alison Coville, draws on the 鈥渟trength and beauty of our country, the backdrops of the mountains and the white in the snow.鈥� Canada鈥檚 kits are traditionally among the most popular at Olympic Games, and Coville said Pyeongchang will be no different.
鈥淲e want them to put on those uniforms and feel they鈥檙e the best dressed at the Olympics, and we do believe that鈥檚 really been the case for many years now,鈥� she said.
Canadian athletes competing in the Paralympics, which open March 9, will be outfitted with the same kit, but with some modifications to fit athlete needs.
Replica wear will be available at all Hudson鈥檚 Bay locations across Canada. The collection is priced from $10 to $114.99 for accessories, $20 to $55 for kids/infants, and $35 to $225 for adults clothing and outerwear.
Lori Ewing, The Canadian Press
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