This is what happens when New York Fashion week collides with Winter Olympics!

New York Fashion Week, which runs Feb. 10 to 18, coincides with the 21st Winter Olympic Games, which kick off Feb. 12.

Ralph Lauren, the Official Parade Outfitter for the Athletes, has designed a chic tailored ensemble featuring a button down navy blue cardigan with fold-over neckline and red piping.  And Vera Wang is outfitting the figure skater – and top gold medal hopeful – Evan Lysacek in a one-of-a kind costume for his big performance.

But what happens when sports and avant-garde fashion collide?

The New York Times decided to find out and asked the design-duo behind fashion label Rodarte to create activewear for athletes who will compete in Vancouver. Let’s just say that Rodarte has their own idea of what Olympic Athletes should wear and that doesn’t include flannel and fleece.

Kirsten Dunst poses with Kate Mulleavy and Laura Mulleavy

You wouldn’t expect to see the intricate knitwear of Rodarte gracing the body of a competing Olympian, but the New York Times decided to give it a try and asked the design-duo behind the avant-garde fashion label to create activewear for 13 athletes who will compete in Vancouver.

The designing sisters are best known for creating an ethereal sensibility incorporating a tremendous attention to detail and delicate fabrics. The end result is a stunning array of wearable art, which is something one doesn’t associate with Olympic sports.

Ryan McGinley shot the sportsmen and women in their custom knits for The New York Times Magazine coming out this Sunday and athletes include figure skater Johnny Weir, figure skater Evan Lysacek, Rachael Flatt, and pairs skaters Keauna McLaughlin and Rockne Brubaker; freestyle skiers Jeret “Speedy” Peterson, Hannah Kearney and Emily Cook; snowboarders Hannah Teter and Kelly Clark, and ski jumper Anders Johnson.

According to New York Times blogger Alix Browne: “The shaggy, loopy, meticulously wrought scarves, spider web tops, bodysuits and pants, stretched the limits of the designers’ imaginations — not to mention the physical talents of the athletes who wore them. In other words, don’t expect to see any of these pieces in action in Vancouver — they are definitely more high fashion than high performance.”

WWD provided the first image of figure skater Johnny Weir who was shot mid-axel sporting a full crochet, spidery knit jumpsuit.

Natalie Portman in Rodarte, 2009 Academy Awards

Rodarte designers Kate and Laura Mulleavy said all the costumes are quite different: “We built the looks knowing that the athletes needed to be able to keep the same range of motion in our clothing as they have in their normal uniform.”

The Mulleavy’s said “working with athletes is an incredible experience” and said the most difficult part of the project was “was realizing pieces that could allow them to be themselves.”

Since Rodarte’s entrance in 2005, the fashion label has become a part of the crème de la crème of forward fashion. Celebrity style icons like Cate Blanchett, Keira Knightley, Kirsten Dunst, Emma Watson, Natalie Portman and others have worn Rodarte creations to galas, award shows, and movie premieres.

The here to see the complete set of images from “The Highflyers.”

Keira Knightley in Rodarte

In other news, a Rodarte fashion exhibition is scheduled to open on February 11 in NYC.

The beautiful confections designed by Kate and Laura Mulleavy will be on display at the Smithsonian’s Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum in N.Y.C, as the focus of the upcoming “Quicktake: Rodarte” fashion installation.

A selection of Rodarte designs from past collections will be on view from February 11th through March 14th. For more information, visit cooperhewitt.org