Perhaps no athlete in the U.S. Olympic delegation is as familiar with the heat of a Japanese summer than Sakura Kokumai.
Making her Olympic debut in karate (women’s kata), Kokumai studied and worked in Japan prior to the Olympics, a decision that prompted her to move back to the United States and dedicate all of her time to training.
Before that, Kokumai wore a suit and boarded a Tokyo train every day.
“Warm is not even (the word),” Kokumai told USA TODAY Sports. “It’s very humid, very sticky, very hot.”
Temperature was a primary consideration Team USA Olympic outfitter Ralph Lauren accounted for as it designed the opening ceremony uniform, which was unveiled Wednesday. David Lauren, the company’s vice chairman of the board and chief brand and innovation officer, said the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) wanted to dress the athletes in blazers for the opening ceremony as a way to highlight the aspect of global ambassadorship.
“Every time we’ve created an Olympic uniform, we know (the world is) looking to see, ‘What is America about?’” Lauren told USA TODAY Sports.
The jacket is similar to the uniform Kokumai wore every day to work — with an essential innovation for what could be the hottest Olympics on record.
Ralph Lauren is debuting its RL COOLING jacket, which includes a device that allows wearers to self-regulate the temperature.
The battery-powered device, located on the back of the neck, creates a cooling sensation that lasts, even in the most oppressive heat.
For Lauren, the challenge was creating something that celebrated American style and craftsmanship – a classic and smart look – while making sure athletes feel comfortable.
“I’m very excited to wear (the jacket),” Kokumai said.
In addition to the navy blazer (made from US-grown wool), the uniform includes a T-shirt, a printed scarf, shoes and – it’s still a pandemic – mask. All materials have an element of sustainability and environmentalism.
That is also part of the inspiration behind the cooling jacket, Lauren said, a product that “looks like it could change the way we think.” A study from the U.S. Department of Energy suggested that personal, portable thermal management could one day reduce the reliance on mass-energy cooling systems, such as HVAC. The company first began exploring the technology ahead of the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, where the Ralph Lauren Heated Jacket debuted.
“The way in which we dress,” Lauren said, “cannot only look great, but be great.
“We all have to become more conscious, that we can push the boundaries, that we can bring about innovation to solve problems in new ways.”
As the opening ceremony in Tokyo will be scaled back with only VIPs and no Japanese fans allowed, the flag-bearer’s jacket – colored white – will be the only one equipped with the technology. Kokumai won’t be arriving in Tokyo until July 25, so she won’t be participating in the ceremony. No details have been released by Tokyo 2020 on how COVID protocols might further impact the ceremony.
All Team USA athletes will eventually receive a cooling jacket, however, and it will eventually go on sale for the public.
Follow Chris Bumbaca on Twitter @BOOMbaca.
