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Athletes are unboxing sponsored merchandise and sharing try-on hauls on TikTok, featuring brands like Nike and Lululemon.
Sarah Douglas, a Team Canada sailor, recently shared her Lululemon try-on haul on TikTok. Douglas is one of many Olympic athletes who have been unboxing, trying on and styling their sponsored merchandise
In three separate TikTok posts, Evy Leibfarth, a canoeist competing in the 2024 Paris Olympics for Team U.S.A., unboxed several duffel bags and suitcases she had received from brand sponsors.
First was a huge rolling duffel bag from Nike, which included a podium uniform and an assortment of sweatpants, slides, sneakers, backpacks and other apparel.
Then there was a suitcase from Ralph Lauren, the official outfitter of Team U.S.A. for the Olympic and Paralympic Games, containing water bottles, Polo T-shirts, preppy dresses, quarter zips, crew neck sweatshirts, jackets and hats.
And finally, a duffle bag from Skims, replete with form-fitting tank tops, bodysuits, T-shirts, bathing suits and a bathrobe.
Ms. Leibfarth, 20, was one of many enthusiastic Olympic athletes who took to TikTok over the weekend to share videos of their impressive hauls from brands. Many flashed gear in their countries’ colors and embellished with their flags, fresh out of crisp plastic packaging. Some videos have received millions of views.
A variety of brands sponsor each country competing in the Olympics. By working with Olympians, brands are tapping into an engaged audience of fans. Many of the items flaunted by athletes in their haul videos are available to purchase online. Brands have dedicated pages on their websites featuring Olympic collections, like Skims for Team USA.
When Keet Oldenbeuving, a skateboarder for Team Netherlands, arrived at her room in the Olympic Village, she unboxed a Samsung flip phone and a portrait from the Tokyo 2020 Olympics that was made into a painting, among other gifts. She has four other videos on her TikTok page in which she unboxes packages from brands, including a Fila bag filled with orange clothing to wear in the Olympic Village, where the 15,000 athletes stay.
Ms. Oldenbeuving, 19, noted that the casual Olympic Village gear differs from the competition and training clothing, ceremony outfits and podium outfits.
Sarah Douglas, a sailor for Team Canada, styled her pieces in her Lululemon try-on haul video. In the post, Ms. Douglas modeled a red printed track suit with sneakers, a hat and a Canada scarf; a matching shorts set; and other sporty apparel.
Though Ms. Douglas, 30, received a guide from Lululemon that suggested certain pieces that go together, she put her own spin on some of the looks.
When she arrived at her room in the Olympic Village a few days ago, she said there was “a big suitcase full to the brim with gear — I remember we all walked into our rooms screaming.”
Ms. Douglas’s podium and ceremony outfits are also designed by Lululemon. But for her competitive sailing outfits, she wears wet suits by Helly Hansen.
At the sprawling Olympic Village five miles north of Paris, athletes are always dressed in their countries’ gear.
“Everyone is comparing Olympic kits, and people are always complimenting our Canadian gear and wanting to trade,” Ms. Douglas said. Though she hasn’t made any trades yet, she said she had her eyes on gear from Switzerland and the United States.
The sheer amount of merchandise left many TikTok users wondering what athletes would do with all the gear after the Olympics. Ms. Douglas, who also competed in the 2020 Olympics, isn’t worried about that. She said she had previously taken the gear home and given extra clothing to friends and family.
“For my mom, it’s like Christmas,” she said. “I just open up the suitcase and tell her, ‘Whatever you want, you can take.’ We’re the same size.” Ms. Douglas said she had received more gear this year than she did for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Indeed, for fashion, sports stars are the new superstars. Brands are increasingly seeing the value of athletes, who are following the influencer playbook and building large networks around their fame.
Tayleb Willis, who is competing in the 110-meter hurdles for Australia and has 620,000 followers on TikTok, decided to have fun with his haul video. He dumped all the packaged clothing from his green and yellow duffle bag and made it rain gear, as if it were cash, to the song “Mr Pot Scraper” by BossMan Dlow.
Mr. Willis, 21, received a large duffle bag and two smaller bags from Asics. “I’m going to cherish the gear, because it was a lifelong dream to have the gear,” he said. His plan for after the Olympics? “I’ll be wearing it around, wear it to training,” he said. “I’ll wear some of the nice things when I go out.”
Even staff members are getting loads of gear. Shane Kreutzer, who is filming for Team U.S.A., posted his haul from Nike and Ralph Lauren.
The four-time Grand Slam singles champion Naomi Osaka joined in on the trend, showing off the vast amounts of Asics Team Japan socks and shirts in her suitcase.
But one commenter speculated that Ms. Osaka might not be able to wear the Asics clothing because of her contract with Nike. The user joked, “Since you can’t wear ASICS merch, can I have all the team Japan merch after the Olympics is over.”
Read More: Your Fashion Guide to 2024 Paris Olympics, The Economic Impact of the Paris Olympics, How Smaller Brands are Scoring Big with Olympic Uniforms
Source: The New York Times
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