New Zealand’s All Blacks rugby team is drawing on French fashion as it looks to win the Rugby World Cup kicking off in Paris in just over two months.
Adidas AG, which supplies the team’s iconic all black kit, has teamed with Paris-based street-style designer Fey the Wolf to develop unique features in a new jersey for the tournament, New Zealand Rugby said in a statement Wednesday in Wellington.
The designer, who is known for his distinctive and creative use of the color black, worked with some current players and the Adidas design team to create a jersey centered around the New Zealand silver fern, “a symbol of strength, resilience and enduring power,” NZR said.
The All Blacks’ new jersey also has “leading technical innovations” that aim to lift on-field performance and make players difficult to tackle. It has ergonomic side panels in the abdominal area for a tight, three-dimensional fit and for extra compression around the upper body, NZR said.
France, which has never won the World Cup, plays three-times champion New Zealand in the opening game on Sept. 8 in Paris. The host nation is ranked number two in the world — one place ahead of the All Blacks — and is favored to reach the final in the French capital in late October.
The All Blacks’ new kit incorporates a nod to France by interweaving the rounded edges found on local palm fronds into the silver fern design.
