British cycling apparel brand Rapha has unveiled its debut designs for Team USA, and the approach is, in one word, unexpected.
Yes, the stars and stripes are present. Yes, the red, white and blue remain. And of course, Rapha's identifying arm band stripe is not lost in the design. But rather than the crisp, high-contrast palette traditionally associated with the USA kits, Rapha has softened everything. The result is a sun-washed, almost pastel interpretation. Think creamsicle orange instead of fire-engine red, powder blue paired with navy, and warm off-whites rather than stark white. All very California.
