Vera Wang updates Eagles cheerleaders’ uniforms
byMargie Fishman
The News Journal
September 18, 2013
Gone are the oversized hair bows, the prickly wool sweater-and-skirt sets, the double-knit polyester jumpers and sailor collars.
Today’s professional cheerleader is more likely to impersonate a candy stripper (um, striper), milkmaid, cowgirl or feline attack victim (the Carolina Panthers cheerleaders don shredded tops).
Tame by comparison, the new Vera Wang bra-and-boy-shorts ensemble that the Philadelphia Eagles cheerleaders unveiled Sunday at their home opener is both feisty and functional. (Sadly, the Eagles still lost to the San Diego Chargers 33-30.)
The cheer gear – an update from Wang’s 2003 design – prominently features the Eagles logo and midnight green in a simple and snug black-and-white palette.
Eagles squad captain and five-year veteran Jessica Gonzalez praised the new pieces for providing endless options.
“Each signature piece has a very sleek look with clean lines, but, at the same time, is also sporty,” Gonzalez wrote in an email. “They are incredibly comfortable to dance in.”
The bra top, for instance, can be paired with shorts (which revealed a hint of buttocks in an Eagles-approved photo), spandex pants or miniskirt. The ladies cover up on blustery afternoons with a crop jacket or high-necked shrug that still exposes full cleavage.
Wang, a celebrated formal wear designer, is perhaps best known for her haute couture wedding gowns. Celebrity clients have included former first daughter Chelsea Clinton and reality TV star Kim Kardashian (the latter bought three gowns at $25,000 a pop). Wang sells a more affordable bridal line, White by Vera Wang, at David’s Bridal locations.
A former figure skater who has designed skating outfits for Nancy Kerrigan and Michelle Kwan, Wang brought a fitness flavor to her spring 2014 collection, featuring baseball jackets and windbreakers on the runway.
For the everyday woman, Wang-branded merchandise is available in nearly every department at Kohl’s, including ladies separates, shoes, accessories and cosmetics.
A friend of Eagles’ owners Jeffrey Lurie and his former wife, Christina, Wang became the first internationally recognized fashion designer to partner with a cheerleading squad when she reimagined the uniforms back in 2003. That outfit, which consistently ranks among the sexiest NFL cheerleader uniforms in the blogosphere, is strikingly similar to the refreshed version with a more subtle green.
Earlier this month, the Eagles cheerleaders were on hand at New York Fashion Week, trumpeting the intersection between high fashion and football. The scene was a far cry from the poofy pom-poms and shiny spandex unitards that their predecessors wore proudly during the 1980s.
The modern uniforms are “ideal for the cutting-edge image of the cheerleaders – chic while displaying athleticism,” Christina Weiss Lurie said in a statement.
Wang added: “I always embrace the opportunity to work on extensions of my original creations and enjoyed designing the new signature pieces for the beautiful and talented cheerleaders to wear this year.”
Both Wang and Lurie could not be reached for further comment. An Eagles spokesman declined to comment on the cost of the uniforms or for how long they’ll be around.
Eagles cheerleading director Barbara Zaun said fan response among men and women has been overwhelmingly positive.
“After the announcement and during Sunday’s game, fans commented to the cheerleaders how beautiful they look in the uniforms,” she wrote in an email. Many wanted to know where they could purchase the cheerleaders’ custom-made black sparkle sneakers, she added.
