Such is the pull of White’s name that the energy drink Red Bull, one of his sponsors, built a sequestered half-pipe course in the Colorado mountains on which he practiced for Vancouver. White has his own videogame and even codesigned sunglasses with Oakley. Forbes estimated he earned $9 million in 2008, mainly from endorsements.

Troy Michel, head of Target Corp.’s lifestyle marketing team, said the retailer has worked with White for eight years on the collection. Designed by White, his brother Jesse, and a team from Target, the line of T-shirts, woven shirts, shorts, and denim jeans for boys and young men is updated six times a year.

“He has a real passion for the clothing, and he’s heavily involved,” Michel said. “For instance, our skinny jeans wouldn’t fit the way they do if he hadn’t changed them.”

Burton has been associated with White since he was just seven years old, when the company was developing a snowboard line for kids. Burton produces the White Collection of men’s and women’s outerwear, along with boots, boards, bags, and gloves.

Vonn, considered the U.S.’s best-ever women’s alpine skier, is backed by Under Armour. The athletic brand is also the official outfitter of the U.S. ski and bobsled teams.

“Our vision is to make the athlete better,” said Steve Battista, senior vice president of brand for Under Armour Inc. “And to do that, you have to include athletes at the top of their game.” It doesn’t hurt that the Olympics has the “highest viewership for our target audience” and are popular with female consumers, he said.

The company’s involvement in ski and mountain sports has been “organic,” Battista said. “The athletes just pulled our product into their sport. You can’t ask for anything more.”

Vonn will have the Under Armour logo visible on the turtleneck she wears under her Spyder ski suit. “When you see top athletes wearing Under Armour, it speaks to the performance,” Battista said. “If it works for Lindsey in Vancouver, it’ll work for Jane or Joe Smith.”

Adrienne Lofton, senior director of women’s marketing, said Under Armour has seen the results of Vonn’s success reflected at the cash register. She said there was “a direct correlation” between “phenomenal” fourth-quarter sales and a TV commercial featuring Vonn during the holiday season.

Linking with sports stars also presents risks. In the post-Tiger Woods era, there is heightened awareness of that potential downside, but Battista is unconcerned. “We’re very careful who we pick to represent us,” he said.

The Swiss watch manufacturer Hublot also professes not to be worried about its sponsorship of Miller, the bad boy of skiing. The downhill racer, known for his reckless style on and off the slopes, was the flop of the games in Turin. Billed as a contender for five gold medals, Miller went home empty-handed and infamously told reporters he at least “got to party and socialize at an Olympic level.”

Nevertheless, Hublot, is producing a limited-edition Bode Bang watch. A portion of the proceeds of the sale of each watch—only 500 have been made—will go to Miller’s Turtle Ridge Foundation, a nonprofit organization supporting health, diversity, and sustainable living through sports.

Jean-Claude Biver, chief executive officer of Hublot, said Miller’s charitable efforts led to the sponsorship. “He’s an ambassador for us,” Biver said, adding, “If the results [at the Olympics] are fantastic, it can only help.”

Does Biver fear the controversy that tends to surround Miller? “He’s open, passionate, and courageous, and all these aspects cannot be overshadowed by any negatives,” he said.

Not surprisingly, the consumer response to the Olympics has been strong in its host country, where winter sports have a particularly high profile. The Bay, the nation’s largest retailer, is selling Olympic-themed merchandise in 300 stores across Canada. The company installed a 22,000-square-foot Olympic Superstore at its flagship in downtown Vancouver, featuring a 100-foot wall devoted to Olympic pins and gear from other countries. “That’s what people come to the Games for,” said Bonnie Brooks, president and CEO.

The retailer outfitted the bearers of the Olympic torch as they traversed the country en route to Vancouver and is dressing the 30,000 volunteers.

Its most popular item by far is the Vancouver 2010 red mittens, which feature a maple leaf in the palm and retail for $10.

“It’s been a sensation across Canada,” Brooks said. “Sales have doubled our expectations.”

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Jean E. Palmieri is a contributor to WWD.