Mexican Olympian Hubertus von Hohenlohe debuts mariachi ski suit

Apparently there will be a mariachi on the mountain at the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympic Games -- kind of.

On Tuesday, the Mexican Olympic Committee released a photograph of Mexico-born Alpine skier Hubertus von Hohenlohe presenting his racing suit for the upcoming games, a skintight zip-front number that runs from neck to ankles. The speedsuit is black with a trompe l’oiel design that creates the effect that the athlete is kitted out in a cropped black bolero jacket with white embroidery detail, a white collared shirt, red cummerbund and red necktie, with the letters MEX amid the faux embroidery detail down the left leg.

The overall effect is not unlike that of the faux tuxedo T-shirts that one might find in a SkyMall catalog or Spencer Gifts.

According to NBCOlympics.com’s Joe Battaglia (who gave the world its first peek at the mariachi-motif ski suit in his Sunday story), the suit was designed by Italian label Kappa. (While we can clearly see what appears to be Kappa’s logo on Von Hohenlohe’s right leg in the above photo -- as well as in the sketches accompanying Battaglia’s story, we have not yet been able to independently confirm the provenance of the suit.)

Although the mariachi theme may be a first for the Winter Games, it isn’t the first time the prince (the son of German royalty -- Prince Alfonso Hohenlohe and Princess Ira Fürstenberg -- Von Hohenlohe was born in Mexico City) has dressed to impress on the slopes. At the 2010 Vancouver Games, his multi-colored speedsuit had a distinct desperado feel to it -- complete with trompe l’oiel-fringed serape blanket, gun belt, pistol and ammo belts crossing the chest.

When he’s not wowing in the wardrobe department, the 54-year-old Von Hohenlohe is a photographer and businessman. Oh, and he’s a pop singer who has recorded a handful of albums under the name Andy Himalaya.

¡Ay, ay, ay!

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