Gearing up for Sochi! Hudson's Bay Celebrates The Proud Canadian In All Of Us With NEW Sochi 2014 Canadian Olympic and Paralympic Team Collection

TORONTO, Oct. 30, 2013 /CNW/ - Today in Toronto, Canada's iconic retailer, Hudson's Bay unveiled the Canadian Olympic and Paralympic Team Collection that will outfit our athletes at the upcoming Sochi 2014 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. Inspired by the core essence and spirit of Canada, the official Olympic and Paralympic wear is now available at all Hudson's Bay locations across Canada and online at thebay.com.

Hudson's Bay provides Canadians with comfortable and beautiful pieces for every season, every occasion and every moment.  With the new Canadian Olympic and Paralympic Team Collection, Hudson's Bay continues its long-standing dedication to dressing Canadians in a way that unites us, spreading Olympic spirit from coast-to-coast-to-coast and bringing everyone together to share in a momentous patriotic experience.

Created by Hudson's Bay's team of forward-thinking and creative designers, the inspiration for the Sochi 2014 Canadian Olympic and Paralympic Team Collection was to capture the spirit of Canada, unifying sport and style, creating a look that is modern and comfortable, and most of all, passionately Canadian. Canadians are proud of our great nation, our vast landscapes, and all the unique differences that are a part of Canadian culture. The Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games are special for Canada - we endure cold, beautiful and sometimes bitter winters but we embrace what winter brings.  For 343 years, Hudson's Bay has been helping Canadians dress for winter in smart and stylish ways, and the new Olympic and Paralympic Collection represents this.

"We're so proud to continue to be a part of the Olympic Games and are thrilled to be the Official Outfitter of the Canadian Olympic and Paralympic Teams," says Bonnie Brooks, President, Hudson's Bay Company.  "As a Premier National Partner of the Canadian Olympic Committee and Canadian Paralympic Committee, we support our athletes in many ways and we are excited to witness what they will accomplish at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games.  We at Hudson's Bay are fiercely proud to be Canadian and are passionate about bringing the Olympic spirit to Canadians through our clothing and we can't wait to cheer on our athletes, knowing that we CAN own the podium."

"Today, we celebrate Hudson's Bay's long-standing partnership in Canada's Olympic Movement and recognize that their support is integral to our cause," said Marcel Aubut, President, Canadian Olympic Committee.

"We thank Hudson's Bay for once again delivering iconic, beautiful uniforms that honour our athletes' commitment to our nation and our commitment to them.  They are not just our athletes' uniforms, they are Canada's uniforms."

"This is a landmark day for the Canadian Paralympic Committee, with the launch of the spectacular Sochi team clothing collection as well as the renewal of our partnership agreement with Hudson's Bay for the next eight years," said Gaétan Tardif, President, Canadian Paralympic Committee. "We're also very excited about the opportunity for Canadians to support the Canadian Paralympic Team and build its profile by purchasing a Paralympic Team t-shirt at Hudson's Bay stores in the lead up to the Sochi 2014 Paralympic Winter Games."

Tradition, Elegance and Strength
The Olympic and Paralympic Collection embodies the quintessential Canadian character.  It captures a contemporary and modern fashion feel and highlights the essence of Canada's strong and distinguishing personality, which has permeated the globe.  A new and refreshed take on the Canadian Olympic uniform, the Collection exudes elegance and boldness that will take the world by storm on the international stage. Key elements woven throughout the collection include:

• Colour-blocking - A key trend for 2013 and forecast for 2014, the collection is made up of Canada's iconic colours:  Maple Leaf Red, Northern White and Winter Night Black.  Structured in a way that is athletic, chic and fashionable, the entire Collection represents a classic sport aesthetic.

• The Leaf and Crest - Two strong Canadian symbols.  The Maple Leaf is used in unique and prominent ways throughout the Collection, giving new life to the iconic Canadian symbol.  The 2014 Team Crest represents sportsmanship, competition, athleticism and national pride, and is a symbol of strength for all athletes.

• Canada's Animals - A nod to the traditional, the Collection focuses on three instantly recognizable Canadian animals: the beaver, the loon and the polar bear.  The diversity of the animals represents the diversity of the Canadian identity.

"Canada's style and personality is instantly recognizable internationally, and we designed the Olympic uniforms to reflect who we are as a nation," says Hilary Kelley, VP of Design, Hudson's Bay Company.  "The Collection embodies modernity and classic refinement.  Canadians are passionate about their country; they are avid competitors, they are caring and dedicated.  For the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Uniform, we wanted to ensure our amazing athletes could feel proud, confident and carry with them the tremendous support of an entire nation as they prepare to bring home the gold."

"I have been fortunate to participate in four Olympic Games, and I know the pride one feels when wearing the red and white while competing internationally," said Jean-Luc Brassard, four-time Olympian, Lillehammer 1994 gold medallist and Assistant Chef de Mission for Sochi 2014. "Hudson's Bay has delivered once again, and our new uniforms beautifully represent our country's drive to be number one in Sochi."

Star Items to Watch
The 2014 Olympic and Paralympic Collection boasts a bold range of items including colour-blocked tees, classic sweaters and athletic sweatshirts and hoodies, down-filled and puffer jackets, brand new accessories including the famous Red Mittens, and more.

Priced from $5 to $30 for Accessories; $12.99 - $50 for Kids/Infants; and $19 - $275 for Men's/Women's Clothing and Outerwear, the full collection is attainable for would-be supporters from coast-to-coast, and makes an ideal gift for the holidays.

Star items in the collection include:

1. Reversible Down Jacket:  Elegant and extremely warm for those cold winter days and nights, the jacket comes in Canada's signature red and black colours and is branded proudly with the 2014 Team Crest on the sleeve.
   
   
2. Chunky Knit Canada Beaver Sweater: Made from 100 per cent wool and fashioned in all three Canadian colours, red, white and black, this sweater is timeless and comfortable.  Inspired by classic sports such as skiing and curling, this cozy Canadian sweater prominently features CANADA strewn across the front chest.  On either sleeve, the Canada Leaf and 2014 Team Crest sits patriotically, and on the back of the sweater, rests the beaver curled up around the Canada flag.
   
   
3. Duffle Coat:  A coat that demands attention - inspired by Hudson's Bay's classic Point Blanket, the all-red jacket is accented with a black stripe around the waist.  Fashionable and smart, the single-breasted coat is a wool/nylon blend and fits snugly together with a zipper and trendy toggle style buttons.
   
   
4. Colour-blocked tees: Simplicity, accessibility and style define the new colour-blocked tees.  The body of the tees are black with CANADA written across the chest and complemented by red sleeves and white accents.
   
   
5. 2014 Canadian Paralympic Tee:  For the first time ever, Hudson's Bay has partnered with the Canadian Paralympic Committee to design two unique tees that feature the proud emblem of the Canadian Paralympic Team and are available in red for women and black for men.

Canada Stands Behind Its Athletes
For the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games, there will be more than 200 athletes competing for the Canadian Olympic Team and 55 athletes competing for the Canadian Paralympic Team.  Canadian Olympic Team members will each receive 39 items and the Canadian Paralympic Team members will each receive 32 items as part of their 2014 uniform, including leisurewear, jackets, pants and accessories.  This will outfit them in the Opening and Closing Ceremonies, during Podium Presentations, and while simply hanging out in the Olympic village.

The entire 2014 Canadian Olympic and Paralympic Team Collection can be purchased online at thebay.com and will be in all locations of Hudson's Bay from October 30 until 2015.

About HBC
The Hudson's Bay Company (HBC), founded in 1670, is North America's longest continually operated company.  In Canada, HBC operates Hudson's Bay, Canada's largest department store with 90 locations, unsurpassed in its fashion, beauty, home and accessory designers and brands, as well as thebay.com. HBC also operates Home Outfitters, Canada's largest home specialty superstore with 69 locations across the country.  In the United States, HBC operates Lord & Taylor, a department store with 49 full-line store locations throughout the northeastern United States and in two major cities in the Midwest, and lordandtaylor.com.  With approximately 29,000 Associates in Canada and the U.S., Hudson's Bay Company banners provide stylish, quality merchandise at great value, with a dedicated focus on service excellence.  The HBC Foundation is one of Canada's leading charitable organizations dedicated to improving the lives of Canadians through programs that reflect our distinct Canadian values. Since 2006, the HBC Foundation has proudly supported Canadian athletes, donating more than $35 million to national sports organizations, including the Canadian Olympic Foundation and Canadian Paralympic Committee.  The Hudson's Bay Company trades on the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol "HBC".

About the Canadian Olympic Committee
The Canadian Olympic Committee leads the achievement of the Canadian Olympic Team's podium success and advances Olympic values in Canada. Independent and predominantly privately funded, the Canadian Olympic Committee delivers resources that Canada's elite athletes need to perform at their best and give their everything every day. The backbone of Canada's Olympic movement, the Canadian Olympic Committee works with National Sport Federations to prepare the Team for the Olympic, Youth Olympic and Pan American Games. By sharing our athletes' stories, we inspire all Canadians through the power of sport: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

About the Canadian Paralympic Committee
The Canadian Paralympic Committee is a non-profit, private organization with 25 member sports organizations dedicated to strengthening the Paralympic Movement. The Canadian Paralympic Committee's vision is to be the world's leading Paralympic nation. Its mission is to lead the development of a sustainable Paralympic sport system in Canada to enable athletes to reach the podium at the Paralympic Games. By supporting Canadian high performance athletes with a disability and promoting their success, the Canadian Paralympic Committee inspires all Canadians with a disability to get involved in sport through programs delivered by its member organizations.

Image with caption: "Hudson's Bay unveils its Sochi 2014 Canadian Olympic and Paralympic Collection, modeled by Canadian athletes, in Toronto. From L to R: Front row - Brad Bowden, Dylan Moscovitch, Jean-Luc Brassard, Kirsten Moore-Towers, Billy Bridges, Justine Dufour-Lapointe. Second row - Chloé Dufour-Lapointe, John Leslie, Erin Mielzynski, Cheryl Bernard, Jan Hudec, Mark Arendz. Third row - Lenny Valjas, Brad Spence, Andrew Poje, Kaitlyn Weaver, Robbi Weldon, Jesse Lumsden. (CNW Group/Hudson's Bay Company)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20131030_C8085_PHOTO_EN_32758.jpg

SOURCE: Hudson's Bay Company

For more information, or to schedule an interview with Hudson's Bay, please contact:
Michael Shipticki or Danika Lochhead at Strategic Objectives Inc.
Tel: [phone].  Fax: [phone].
Email: [email protected] or [email protected]

Canadian Olympic Committee Media Office:          
Jane Almeida, Manager, Media Relations
Tel: [phone] / Cell: 416-540-1788                                     
Email: [email protected]

Dimitri Soudas, Executive Director, Communications
Tel: [phone] / Cell: 289-388-6419
Email: [email protected]

Canadian Paralympic Committee Media Office:
Alison Korn
Manager, Media Relations and Communications
Canadian Paralympic Committee
Phone: [phone] ext. 243
Cell: 613-298-4927
[email protected]

Martin Richard
Executive Director, Communications and Marketing
Canadian Paralympic Committee
Tel: [phone] ext. 224
Cell: 613-725-4339
[email protected]