Brits Upset Over Olympic Uniforms

USA Today           

Chic? Yes. Modern? YesPatriotic? Well, that's the problem.
British fashion designer Stella McCartney designed Great Britain's 2012 summer Olympic kits with a pinch of technology and a focus on the British flag. But now, the daughter of Paul McCartney is hearing some backlash from athletes, countrymen and fashion lovers around the world.
The problem? Not enough red. (The kits are predominately blue and white.) Not enough representation of the flag and the country that is hosting the Summer Games.
A leading sports psychologist is a bit upset about the lack of red in the uniforms. Professor Robert Barton co-authored a report in 2005, along with University of Durham colleague Dr. Russell Hill, on the impact of uniform colors on athletic performance. Red was said to increase an athlete's probability of winning.
"Obviously she has designed these from a fashion point of view and was not taking into account the possible effects that might have on performance," Barton said. "Given there's an obvious justification for [including more red] and given the effects that we and other scientists have found, it does seem like a mistake."
Ever since the announcement came from Adidas that their queen of London chic would be designing the kits, there's been an excitement around the fashion lines. McCartney said she was going to place a focus on the flag.
"The first place to start on a project like this is to look at the Union flag," McCartney said in a Tea GB press release. "For me it's one of the most beautiful flags in the world and it was important for me to stay true to that iconic design but also to modernize it and present it in a contemporary way. Ultimately, we wanted the athletes to feel like a team and be proud with the identity we created."
McCartney created her own Olympic record when she created the Olympic squads' uniforms. She is the first world-renowned fashion designer to create the look of a summer Olympic team, according to Vogue magazine.
Vogue weighed in on the look:

"We must be frank: What with half of Central London's roads and tube stations being dug up in preparation, citizens' collective feeling about hosting the 2012 Summer Olympics might thus far be expressed as a long-suffering sigh of resignation," the fashion magazine wrote. "This year, British female Olympians in London won't be stepping up in any sloppy, blocky old tracksuit. Thanks to Stella, they'll be standing there kissing their medals in ultra-fashion-worthy 2012 style: a jacket, tied with a ribbon-belt to create a peplum, over a pair of skinny navy trackpants implanted with a red tuxedo-stripe zipper on the outside leg. Go, girls."

But not all the feedback is good. Many who have posted comments on McCartny's Facebook page hate the new uniforms, calling them a 'disgrace.'
McCartney responded with the following post:
"Thank you for your great points on the Team GB kit. My intention was to keep the language and strength of the Union Flag, but to use it in a more delicate way. If you look at the history of Team GB kits, it is the most prominent use of the flag and the color red since 1984. It's not a conventional way."

'Go Stella!' Anyone out there think they can do better?