Buzzworthy | Community PPAI • JUNE 2026 • 89 2. The Best Of The Milan Cortina Winter Olympics Merch Frenzy The biggest story to come out of the 2026 Milan Cortina Olympic Games doesn’t involve snow, ice or sharp blades. It’s the plethora of branded merchandise. Undeniably, the most popular merch to come out of the Games is Milo and Tina, the official mascots of the 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. Each stuffed stoat – a type of weasel – carries a different Games logo, with Tina representing the Olympics and Milo the Paralympics. The critters come in several sizes, all of them nearly impossible to find in Milan … unless you were a medal winner. Each gold, silver and bronze medalist receives a plushie during the medal ceremony. Most versions weren’t scheduled to ship until June. Ralph Lauren is no stranger to Olympics fashion. The brand has designed the official opening and closing ceremony uniforms for Team USA for 10 consecutive Olympic Games, starting with the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics. In stores and online, fans could find literally hundreds of Team USA items, with branded options for both the Olympics and Paralympic Games. The lineup for men, women and children is meant to mix, match and layer. Sound the horn: The U.S. women’s team are gold medal winners. After a sudden-death overtime win over Canada, Nike moved straight into production the same day. Fans were quickly able to pre-order a Team USA Women’s Ice Hockey Gold Medal Winner T-Shirt or sweatshirt from DICK’s Sporting Goods and the official USA Hockey online store. Front and center is a Team USA gold medal graphic, screen printed in gold, of course. A Team USA hockey player losing two teeth was the least interesting thing to happen in the gold medal match against Canada. This is the first time in 46 years the team has taken gold at the Games. The 1980 win, known as the “Miracle on Ice,” sparked a wave of throwback items across the internet. Among that merch is UNRL’s 1980 Miracle Collection, modeled online by players from the 1980s team. The capsule collection sold out instantly. Love her or hate her, Kim Kardashian knows how to capitalize on an opportunity. SKIMS for Team USA first showed up in the swag bags handed out to U.S. athletes in Milan, and the same pieces later became available to everyone else. The line includes items for both men and women, with a top seller being the signature cotton jersey camisole. It comes in red or ecru and features official graphics of Team USA athletes, with options for either the Olympic or Paralympic Games logos. As the first official honorary coach for Team USA, Snoop Dogg naturally had to debut his own line. The small collection is available on the official Team USA online shop, with prices ranging from $35 for a chain to $300 for a snapup varsity jacket. A popular piece is the Team USA Coach Snoop Cowbell complete with stars-and-stripes strap. Measuring about 3.5 inches tall, it’s made from 100% Moen metal imported, ironically, from the mountains of Norway. The Scandinavian country dominated the Games, bringing home 41 medals, the most of any nation. Photo credit: https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/milan-italy-04-march-2025-tina-2629369351?trackingId=fd961e53-6c10-48cf-81c9-c4e25dfd4d76&listId=searchResults
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