Sports has long had a seismic impact on fashion when it comes to both the streets and the runways, but rugby probably isn’t the first game that comes to mind when you think of sports’ sartorial influence. Don’t get it wrong, though, the rugby shirt has had a seminal impact on style since the mid-20th century, and it’s coming for streetwear next.
The first ever rugby shirts were fittingly worn by boys at Rugby School, where the game was invented. At first, they were wool (imagine) but were soon rendered in cotton iterations for fit and comfort. It was the cotton version that eventually seeped into fashion, when, in the 1950s, hot off the heels of the rise of the polo shirt, the rugby shirt became a casual fashion item, largely thanks to brands like Ralph Lauren and Tommy Hilfiger which specialized in the preppy collegiate aesthetic. Even David Hockney was photographed in a pink and blue rugby shirt, paired with washed-out green trousers.
Fast forward to today, and the rugby shirt has been papped on everyone from Rihanna to David Beckham to Chloë Sevigny. It’s also made its stamp on high fashion, and not just for sports-adjacent brands. In 2019, it appeared on the Iceberg runway, while last year, Rugby shirts were a standout item of the SS24 collections at Dries Van Noten, Dsquared2, and The Row.
It’s worth saying that rugby—and by extension, its uniform—has long had an upper-crust, yuppie reputation. Historically, it’s a sport mainly practised in private schools, championed by Britain’s royals (fittingly, Princess Di was spotted wearing a Rugby shirt out and about) and wasn’t practised much in non-white or working-class circles. In Africa, it was practiced mainly in South Africa, where it was introduced by colonizers in the late 1800s. During apartheid, POCs were literally prohibited from participating in the sport.
But now that’s changing, and the scrum is becoming more inclusive. The sport is gaining traction across Africa. Nigeria’s country’s players are making waves internationally, with stars like Maro Itoje captaining the England team.
And Rugby’s representation in fashion is shifting too: the Nigerian Rugby Federation has just joined forces with Virgil Abloh collaborators creative and record exec Teezee and fashion entrepreneur Ireti (founder of Street Souk) on a ruby jersey for everyday wear. Designed to fuse Nigeria’s energy, colours, and eagle motif with a streetwear edge, the shirt was designed “for the streets.”
“By crossing the cultures of fashion and design, we integrated the cultural nuances of being Nigerian into the rugby kit,” explained Teezee in the launch’s press release. “In Nigeria, sports unite us, creating a strong sense of togetherness, while fashion is how we express ourselves—an essential part of the superstar lifestyle for athletes and musicians alike,” chimed Ireti.
Basically, rugby was white af for far longer than it should’ve been, and it’s heartening to see that changing.
Wdyt? Are rugby shirts about to become a streetwear staple?
Images via Getty
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