NEW YORK—I’m not much of a winter weather person, but like everyone else, my eyes will be on Pyeongchang, South Korea from Feb. 9 until Feb. 25 as the city hosts the 2018 Winter Olympic Games. As American athlete Dan Gable once said, "Gold medals aren't really made of gold. They're made of sweat, determination and a hard-to-find alloy called guts." So, as these talented, determined athletes vie for the gold, I’ll be watching the action, fashion and fun with lots of snacks (Nestle Sno Caps, perhaps) from my heated apartment.

With the world tuning in to cheer on their countries and the talented athletes chosen to represent them, viewers’ attention will undoubtedly encompass every aspect of these games. From the record breaking performances to unavoidable controversies and inspirational moments of sportsmanship—there’s something for everyone.

However, the Olympic Games are always a time where fashion and function converge on the global stage. There’s no question that the chosen ensembles and gear will snag as much attention as the athletes wearing them— providing a huge amount of visibility for performance sunwear and goggles.

From cross-country skiing and the biathlon to bobsledding and snowboarding, the participating athletes will be sporting their best performance sunwear. So, it’s a prime time for the eyewear industry to bask in this spotlight.

With a 14-hour time difference for us here on the East Coast of the U.S., the games have kicked off with the opening ceremony and events are already underway.

Even though Tongan athlete, Pita Taufatofua wasn’t wearing much in the frigid South Korean weather, the U.S. Winter Olympic Team was outfitted in Ralph Lauren apparel which debuted a unique wearable heat concept, integrating fashion and the latest in apparel innovation that still channeled a deep Americana presence.

As the games progress, we’ll be able to follow the athletes and take note of their performance gear. Oakley has introduced the Harmony Fade, a special edition eyewear collection, which is a celebration of the journey and commitment that athletes make to reach the world stage of competition.

 
 
Oakley Harmony Fade: Line Miner (l) and the Smith Optics I/O Mag snow goggle.

All pieces in this special collection are united in their color scheme inspired by Oakley Prizm lens technology and include snow goggles and performance eyewear for competition. Oakley’s hero athletes for the Olympics are Mikaela Shiffrin, Chloe Kim and Stale Sandbech.

Additionally, Smith Optics has launched a new I/O Mag snow goggle for Winter 2018 which will be worn during the Olympic Games by athletes including, U.S. skier, Gus Kensworthy, U.S. snowboarder, Chase Josey and Swedish freestyle skier, Emma Dahlstrom.


 

The new I/O Mag utilizes Smith’s proprietary MAG lens change system and the rimless design features eight magnetic contact points with weatherproof N52 magnets that self-guides the lens into the anchored position. It also exclusively incorporates Smith’s proprietary ChromaPop snow lenses.

While these are some snapshots of the product that athletes will be donning during the games, there are many other brands that will be showcased during the Olympics. And while these festivities are underway, this is a perfect opportunity to highlight and encourage customers to think about their sports performance and winter sports eyewear.

Let the games begin!