While at Missouri, Ripley dipped her toe into Textile Apparel Management, majoring in the subject. “The ability to combine my two passions of swimming and fashion makes TYR the perfect fit for me!” she said.

Here’s a glimpse into Ripley’s road to the Olympics.

Tell me a bit about your work at TYR.

Ripley: “As the director of merchandising at Huntington Beach, CA-based TYR Sport, I oversee all product merchandising, working with sales and design on what is needed for future seasons.  I also oversee soft goods product development by working with factories and mills overseas.”

In preparing for the Paris Olympics, what were you looking to accomplish from a design perspective?

“Our goal was to have the best-looking and highest-performing product that USA Swimming has ever had. We wanted the athletes to feel good about what they were wearing, because when you feel good and are confident, you swim fast! For the Swim Team Kit, it’s really all about performance and comfort. You can see this across some of our pieces based on fabrics we chose and silhouettes we designed into.”

Tell me about TYR USA Venzo — what technologies and fabrics are employed?

“The TYR Venzo fabric is made in Italy by some of the finest artisans. We developed one of the most heavy-weighted fabrics that passes World Aquatics’ (formerly FINA) approval. The heavy weight helps with compression. Also, the TYR Venzo has a frictionless yarn that was originally developed for the military in Italy. The frictionless yarn helps our athletes glide through the water.”

Note: According to TYR, the USA Venzo is the industry’s only technical suit to  analyze drag from a microscopic perspective. Surface Lift Technology prevents water from permeating the  fabric, resulting in a higher body position in the water. An inner textile design, known as the Endo Max Compression Cage, provides support for the abdominals, obliques, and  quadriceps.  

How about the TYR Hydrosphere Elite Down Parka and the CXT-1 Trainer. What makes each special?

“The TYR Hydrosphere Elite Down Parka boasts a 400 GSM down-filled layered thermo waterproof fabrication, outfitting National Team members with ultra-warmth protection as they step out onto the blocks in Paris. It features an extended oversized hood and microfiber-lined pockets.

As far as TYR footwear, our CXT-1 Trainer has been topping the podium at the CrossFit Games for the past two seasons, and it will be exciting to see that level of technology on our athletes on deck in Paris.”

Tell me about some of the athletes you are outfitting for the Olympics. What specific requests did they have in their apparel/footwear?

“We have 25 TYR-sponsored swim athletes competing at Olympic Trials, vying for a place on the U.S. Team.  The athletes are looking for comfort and performance. We focused on breathable fabrics due to the heat in Paris.  

When it comes to specific requests, some athletes are custom-fitted for their tech suits. We offer a full line of tech suits in addition to Venzo, including the TYR Avictor for women and men, the TYR Phantom for women, and the TYR Shockwave for men.”

How long have you spent on preparing for the Olympics? How much testing has been involved and how much work on prototypes, fabrics and technologies?

“We started working on the collection in August of 2022. Through the spring of 2023, we were developing fabrics and beginning to prototype garments.”

What are you looking to work on after the Olympics have commenced?

“TYR Wodapalooza SoCal in September 2024 and TYR Wodapalooza Miami 2025 will be our next two large event collections. In addition, we will always strive for more technical innovation as we head into the next quad and look towards Los Angeles 2028. We will also continue our development of TYR’s footwear line and further buildout of TYR’s apparel line, to drive TYR as a leading lifestyle performance brand.”