Five-ring fashion show

Ralph Lauren

The Olympics might honor old sporting traditions, but the Games put the spotlight on some new looks, such as Ralph Lauren's Slim Custom-Fit USA 08 Polo.

Ralph Lauren

The Chinese writing on the front of this Ralph Lauren polo spells out 'Beijing.'

The Olympics might honor old sporting traditions, but the Summer Games in Beijing put the spotlight on some new looks.

You'll see U.S. athletes in Ralph Lauren polo-collar pullovers with Chinese writing that spells "Beijing" on the front, and you'll see equestrians in tech-infused Nike riding boots with an adjustable titanium screw-in spur system.

Here are style highlights from the '08 Olympics:

--Nike's boot for equestrians is called the Ippeas, Greek for "rider."

Riding boots have remained relatively unchanged since the 1800s, with wood soles and leather uppers. But, according to Nike, athletes were looking for lighter footwear while maintaining the traditional look.

The final product is a leather and synthetic boot that emphasizes traction and communication with the horse through a thin, high-abrasion synthetic rubber material on the side of the boot. There's also Nike's signature Air cushioning for comfort.

--Nike also is introducing new shoes for beach volleyball players, who really have no history of shoes at all. The company says players explained that they preferred being barefoot because it allowed for the most freedom in movement, though they acknowledged that hot, cold or coarse sand could be a distraction.

Designers thought the happy medium would be the Zesti beach volleyball sock. It's made from a breathable, seamless fabric that clings like a second skin. There are rubber cleats on the bottom for protection and stability.

--A weightlifting shoe, dubbed Romaleos for "strength," posed one of the greatest challenges to designers because it needs to be light and flexible yet withstand 1,000 pounds — figuring up to 300 pounds for the athlete and 700 for the weights.

The centerpiece is a "power bridge," a system of trusses and bridges in the midsole and a contoured wedge heel.

But even tough world-class athletes need a bit of pampering. For that, Nike offers its Air Rejuven8, a breathable recovery shoe. It's also intended to be worn on the medals stand.

--Omega, the official timekeeper for the Olympics charged with measuring to the millisecond the speed of swimmers, runners and others, has a collection for consumers that it calls "timeless."

There are five dials on the Olympic Speedmaster 5-Counter Chronograph mimicking the five Olympic rings: They include a small second counter, a seven-day chronograph recorder, a day indicator, a 12-hour chronograph recorder and a 30-minute chronograph recorder. Together, they essentially create a stopwatch.

The watch is waterproof up to 330 feet.

There are four versions. Alligator straps are offered on an 18-karat rose gold version, an 18-karat yellow gold one and a stainless steel one. There also is a stainless steel watch with matching bracelet. The retail price is $19,000.

--Shanghai Tang claims to be the only luxury fashion brand with a long Chinese legacy that is exported to the West. Its success, including a new flagship on Manhattan's Madison Avenue, is due to the marriage of craftsmanship and sophistication, says CEO Raphael le Masne de Chermot.

The company's custom-tailoring service upholds the "time-honored traditions and techniques of the Chinese Imperial era while sourcing the finest fabrics from all over Europe."

Still, le Masne acknowledges, the rest of the world has misconceptions about the Chinese version of luxury. The general public knows that luxury brands from else-where manufacture in China but not that the country is an innovator in the market, he says.

Visitors descending upon Beijing will experience firsthand the local interpretations of travel and medicine — and they'll be eager to bring bits of those industries home with them, le Masne predicts.

"Anyone who has traveled to Asia will tell you the service is absolutely impeccable and so human. Having lived in China for over 14 years, I can say that China has true five-star luxury service to match the five-star luxury setting," he says. "The rest of the world can benefit from China's service industry standards and practices."

--Ralph Lauren is the official outfitter for the U.S. Olympic Team for the first time, replacing the Canadian firm Roots. Shoppers are already wearing some of the looks that athletes will be wearing around the Olympic Village.

Pullovers with Chinese writing are selling well, as are classic polo shirts adorned with the Olympic rings, the U.S. team logo and the classic Polo pony, according to the company.

The closing ceremony outfit includes polo shirts tipped with red and royal blue piping paired with crisp white Bermuda shorts. A version is available to consumers.

Accessories carry through the Americana theme, including ribbon belts and canvas sneakers — all in red, white and blue, of course.

Sunglasses, available as a limited edition item, have a blue acetate frame with a pony-logo metal insert on the exterior of the temple, and "2008" written on the inner side of the temple.