TORONTO, CANADA -The eyes of the world will be on Torino, Italy this February for the 2006 Olympic Winter Games, with athletes, spectators and countries all asking the same question “Who will win the Gold medal for the best-dressed nation or team?”

Roots is proud to be the official outfitter of the 2006 United States Olympic and Paralympic Teams and will dress the athletes in official team apparel for the Opening and Closing Ceremony of the 2006 Olympic Winter Games.  Roots’ groundbreaking Team designs for nations’ competing in an Olympic Games captured the attention of the world at the 1998 Olympic Winter Games by adding a  “cool factor” to the apparel worn by Olympic athletes so that team uniforms no longer looked static but were seen as fashionable streetwear.  As a leader in functional and fashionable designs for athletes, Roots has once again raised the bar with its 2006 U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Team collections.

“As we look to Torino, we have focused on implementing two distinct elements into the 2006 U.S. Olympic Team Collection,” says David Young, Senior Designer, Special Projects at Roots.  “Our goal was to celebrate the rich culture and heritage of the host country Italy, and to reflect the American pride of the athletes who will compete on behalf of their nation.”

About the design of the 2006 U.S. Team Collection:
Paying tribute to the host county, athlete-specific labeling will feature four lines of the Star Spangled Banner, translated in Italian.  In addition, the custom USA font was inspired by vintage Ducati motorcycle branding famous through Italy.

The collection also takes a page from popular Italian athletic fashion, with retro looks and modern fabrics, bold stripes and fashionable color blocking.  Detailed embellishments are taken from Formula One auto racing, a sport that is popular with Americans and Italians alike.

American pride is translated through the use of consistent imagery in the form of a custom retro alpine ski stripe graphic that is used across the entire collection, highlighting the strong sense of identity and patriotism of American athletes.  In addition, the 2006 U.S. Olympic Team Collection features some of the most advanced, high performance fabrics and designs that ensure comfort, fit and style to help keep athletes at the top of their game.

“Roots works very closely with athletes, right from concept to design to production, to ensure that our designs meet the needs of the most skilled competitors in the world,” says Michael Budman, co-founder, Roots.  “We are very proud of our association with the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Teams and we are excited to support these remarkable men and women in Torino.”

The 2006 U.S Olympic Team Collection will be launched in New York and Los Angeles in early November.  Just in time for Christmas 2005, the 2006 U.S. Olympic Team retail collection will be available at the NBC Experience Store in New York City and online at www.roots.com. Featuring stylish fleece, leather and accessories, the collection is the perfect gift and the ultimate way to show support for Team USA this February.

For further information, contact:
Robert Sarner,
Director of Communication and Public Affairs
416-781-3574 ext 4280
E-mail : rsarner@roots.com

To contact the USOC, please e-mail Cheryl Herbert at: Cheryl.Herbert@usoc.org

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