Stella McCartney Responds to Criticism Over Her British Olympic Team Uniforms (Poll)

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Stella McCartney is taking some heat for her new uniforms to be worn by the British Olympic teams.

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As creative director for Adidas on the project, she revealed the uniforms on Thursday (March 22) . The sleek designs use the red, white and blue British Union Jack flag as the basis for the team's kits (Brit-speak for uniform) to be worn during London 2012 Olympic Games. 

She has explained her concept: "Something that was very important to me was to try and use that very iconic image but to dismantle it and try to soften it, break it down and make it more fashionable in a sense."

Unfortunately, some Brits are a bit sour on her artistic fashion license, complaining that she removed too much red and made the Union Jack unrecognizable.

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"For the honour of worst kit in history, only the Athletic Bilbao away shirt of a few years ago runs it close," wrote journalist Tom Peck at the Independent.

Some people took to Adidas Facebook to express displeasure. "If there wasn't "Great Britain" across the top, I'm not sure I would be able to guess which country they're from," wrote one non-fan. Another added, "Hideous. Just strengthens the case for Scottish Independence! Britain is neither great nor united."

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On McCartney's Facebook page another unhappy Brit complained The design is almost exactly the same as the US Postal Service, how dare you ruin our heritage this way, what were you thinking by dismissing the red of England?" Another groused: "So are we Flying a colour blue and white Union flag over Buckingham Palace too for the Queens Jubilee?? This is desecrating the symbol of our heritage."

McCartney has responded to the critics via her Facebook:

"Thank you for your great points on the Team GB kit. My intention was to keep the language and strength of the Union Flag, but to use it in a more delicate way. If you look at the history of Team GB kits, it is the most prominent use of the flag and the color red since 1984. It's not a conventional way of looking at the flag, but one still interprets it as the Union flag."