"This is a different kind of Olympics," says Tony Alcindor, vice president of public relations and marketing at Ports 1961, which is outfitting four of NBC's Olympic commentators. "It has become a global mission for sports and fashion to come together to do something good, despite the political drama surrounding the games."

New Event, Same Relationship

The Olympics merely present the best opportunity for visibility. The collaboration between fashion and sports, with joint ventures between athletes and labels other than Nike and Adidas, is nothing new.

Dolce & Gabbana partnered with Italy's Milano Beach Soccer league in the 2006-2007 season, and Cavalli's June 2008 campaign featured five players from the Italian rugby team. Collaborations, such as Stella McCartney and Adidas and Alexander McQueen and Puma, are making sportswear fashionable as well as performance-friendly.

This relationship between contemporary fashion and global sportswear is even the subject of a new exhibi......