As the Olympics Close, Here’s How Canada Quietly Won Off the Podium

Written by Rebecca Tate

This year at the Winter Olympics we saw Canada’s impact go beyond medals. With lululemon engineering Team Canada’s performance-driven, inclusive Olympic kit, we’re exporting something bigger than sport — thoughtful design, winter expertise, and a reminder that supporting Canadian innovation matters on the world stage.

The medals are counted. The closing ceremony is over. And the world is moving on to the next headline. But before we do, it’s worth asking: how did Canada show up? Of course we saw their performance shine through, but I was equally impressed by the design, innovation, and intention. At the centre of that story is lululemon.

As the Official Outfitter of Team Canada through 2028, the Vancouver-born brand is responsible for every layer athletes wear. From Opening and Closing Ceremony uniforms to Athletes’ Village gear and podium kits. And this isn’t just souvenir merch. It’s technically engineered apparel built for elite performance, unpredictable winter conditions, and the emotional intensity of the Olympic stage.

From Yoga Studio to Global Winter Stage

lululemon began in yoga studios, and as a certified yoga instructor, it’s a brand I’ve relied on as a Canadian practitioner since discovering them in my teens. An OG wearer of the classic Scuba Hoodie and Groove Pant combo (yes, with the coloured bands), transitioning to the tried-and-true Wunder Under leggings, and now into a trendier wide-leg silhouette, I feel like I’ve been along on the lulu ride since the beginning. Even spending my early 20’s holiday seasons as a part-time ‘Educator’ (read: lululemon employee and serious hype gal). But its evolution goes beyond styles, into high-performance athletic wear and it feels, in hindsight, inevitable.

For the Olympic partnership, the brand collaborated directly with Canadian Olympians and Paralympians over multiple seasons — studying how athletes move, travel, recover, and endure cold exposure. The result is a fully integrated system: thermoregulating base layers, modular insulation pieces, and fabrics designed to adapt from alpine air to city-centre ceremonies.

These aren’t clothes designed to impress the cameras (though in my opinion, they do). They’re built to be lived in.

One of the most notable shifts in this Olympic cycle is how adaptive design has been embedded from the start. Features inspired by Paralympic athletes — magnetic closures, seated-fit construction, abrasion-resistant textiles, tactile and braille labels — aren’t treated as special additions. They are part of the core kit.

That matters. Because in a time when inclusivity can sometimes feel performative, this approach feels distinctly Canadian: practical, thoughtful, and for all.

Aesthetic That Tells a Canadian Story

Of course, function doesn’t cancel out beauty. Team Canada’s Olympic wardrobe incorporates topographic prints inspired by Canadian terrain, winter-driven colour palettes that move from deep maple reds to iceberg-inspired blues and greens, and statement quilted outerwear that doubles as travel comfort pieces.

It’s not loud nationalism. It’s textured storytelling. As the CMO of By The North, I took inspiration from lululemon’s vibe as we built out our colour palette and visual brand for BTN - colour names like Northern Charcoal, Lake Blue and Moss Green - taking inspiration from our beautiful country and incorporating them into the look and feel of our image.

For a country shaped by winter, landscape, and movement through cold — this design language resonates. Especially when broadcast during medal ceremonies and opening processions that are watched by millions on a global stage.

Beyond the Games: Cultural and Economic Impact

With over 700 stores globally and continued European expansion (including a major flagship presence in Milan for the current Winter Games) lululemon is leveraging the Olympics as more than a branding moment. It’s positioning Canadian performance design globally.

And through initiatives like its Future Legacy collection, portions of sales support Canadian athletes via the national Olympic and Paralympic foundations, which is blending commerce with community investment. Something we here at BTN are very supportive of.

In a cultural moment in time where many Canadians are thinking more intentionally about where they spend their money this kind of ‘selling story’ feels important. Because it’s not just about selling gear. It’s about exporting a philosophy: human-centred performance, inclusivity by design, and technical innovation that’s built for the North (by the North *wink wink).

The Quiet Win

As these Games wrap, we can celebrate the medals, sure. But we can also acknowledge something subtler: Canada isn’t just competing. We’re designing. We’re influencing. We’re shaping how the world sees winter performance.

And in this particular moment, supporting Canadian doesn’t just feel patriotic. It feels right.