Within the entwining roots of sportsmanship and style, a new blossom has emerged – the All Blacks 2023 World Cup Rugby Kit by adidas.
This unique blend of innovation and tradition captures the essence of the rugby field, echoing the heartbeat of the iconic New Zealand team, and bearing the fingerprints of an emergent street-style Parisian designer, Fey The Wolf. Not only is it a groundbreaking combination of sportswear and streetwear, but also an embodiment of culture, heritage, and sustainability – a triune symbol that illuminates the core ethos of the All Blacks and their supporters.
The new kit is far from an ordinary sports jersey, it’s a potent testament to the enduring power and spirit of the All Blacks. Fey The Wolf, renowned for his creative applications of the color black, collaborated closely with the All Blacks players and the adidas design team to design the kit. The outcome is a creation that reflects the symbolism of the New Zealand silver fern, an emblem deeply embedded within the New Zealanders and the Māori community for its representation of strength, resilience, and enduring power.
Matt Fielding, adidas – Category Director of Fields Sports, commended this endeavor: “The All Blacks are one of the most iconic sports teams worldwide – so it’s a great honor for us as a brand, to design and showcase to the world our seventh adidas All Blacks Rugby World Cup kit. In what is poised to be a huge year for the men’s game, we’re excited to bring something new and fresh to this year’s design.”
The reimagined jersey features the fern’s outline, printed across the replica and on-pitch jerseys, created by a bold, continuous stroke. This design, beyond its aesthetic appeal, captures the spirit of the All Blacks’ philosophy: “players never own the jersey – instead, they protect it, passing it along to the next generation; creating one continuous line of guardianship.”
Fey The Wolf, the mind behind the design, speaks about his experience and approach: “There is no more iconic jersey in sport, so it was an incredible privilege to be entrusted with reimagining it for this moment. Central to my approach was to encapsulate what the fern means to New Zealanders of all backgrounds… What stood out to me most is the sense of guardianship… This was a true jumping-off point when starting the creative process – and the responsibility I too carry.”
The heart of the design is a convergence of 14 differently sized ferns, signifying the diversity and varying experience of the current squad. Together, they form an emblem, the team crest acting as the 15th fern, all facing inwards to create the “USO” mark; a Samoan term meaning brother, signifying the unity and bond among the All Blacks.
The celebration of culture and heritage does not overshadow adidas’s commitment to sustainability. The on-pitch jersey, exclusively for All Blacks players, is composed of a high-performance yarn containing at least 89% recycled polyester. Each replica jersey, offering fans a unique piece of New Zealand Rugby legacy, is also made using 100% recycled polyester – a testament to adidas’s dedication to ending plastic waste.
Accompanying the kit is a wide-ranging Leisure Collection, allowing fans to represent their support, whether they’re on the training field or lounging casually. Like the replica jersey, this collection too is made partly from recycled materials.
In unveiling this kit, adidas and the All Blacks have marked another milestone in their iconic partnership, offering a deep insight into the heart of rugby union, and a fresh perspective on the interweaving of sport, style, and sustainability. In Fey The Wolf’s words, this is not just about reimagining the jersey; it’s about carrying the responsibility of guardianship, and passing on a legacy to the next generation. This, indeed, is the embodiment of the All Blacks’ ethos.
The All Blacks Rugby World Cup 2023 jersey is available to purchase for €90, while the training range starts from €45.
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