I guess when you feel you’ve beat the odds, shown the world and pretty much flipped the bird at all of our big retailers-flaunting increased sales and resisting the urge to jump on the markdown wagon- you can have a little fun… after all, it is the homeland- home city, in fact- hosting the 2010 Winter Games.

Lululemon Athletica employee Laurel Richardson models a hockey helmet toque that comes complete with a marker to black out front teeth, and a Canada hoodie complete with a gold-coloured zipper from the company's new product line in Vancouver, B.C., on Monday December 14, 2009. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

Not to be outdone by the official Canadian fashion supplier of these Olympic Games, the historic, and all but irrelevant, Hudson Bay Company, yoga fashion juggernaut Lululemon is offering up it’s own tongue-in-cheek version… but not really… and not officially, of course…  of Vancouver 2010 Olympic wear.

Despite possible opposition from the powers that be, and the fact that they launched the line-hooded sweatshirts, toques and tees- only a mere two months before the games, Lululemon

insists this clothing line is about patriotism, not ambush marketing ahead of the Olympics.

But the Lulus are no dummies.  With more than a few crazy marketing stunts under it’s belt the Vancouver-based company comes well versed in the rules and regulations pertaining to Olympic marketing.  They have dotted their i’s and crossed their t’s ensuring only a whiff of Olympic Games, rather than outright Games stench, with  their “Cool Sporting Event” tagline.

Olympic fashion is huge during the Games, with Roots scoring bigtime in Games past… remember the tams- erk!  Everyone will have something to contribute to the lucrative Olympics marketplace but will make every effort not to step on the official toes, including Roots itself.  With a new line of outerwear launched this fall, coined the Canada Collection, it is geared to capitalize on the country not the games.

Of course.

So, here’s to Olympic Games fashion fever.  As the yoga lemming I am, always on the lookout for the next yogic trend… and given these Games are but a relative stones throw… chances are pretty good I’ll opt for cache over history… sorry HBC.  While Hudson’s Bay blankets- and could there be anything more Canadian than an elk head sweater ?!-have there place, there’s really nothing like a set of blacked out teeth to get asses in stores.  Maybe next time, ye olde Hudson’s Bay.