Unlike pickleball or pilates, rugby boasts one of the oldest histories in sport. But, where other fitness trends have attracted a cult female following with their effortlessly stylish image, the game has often struggled to detach itself from the stuffy, male-centric identity it has traditionally been associated with.
This year, Asahi Super Dry is shaking things up. Through its sponsorship of the Women’s Rugby World Cup 2025, the Japanese beer brand aims to champion overlooked female players, grassroots teams, and fanbases with its dedicated “Rugby Like Never Before” campaign outlining this mission. Continuing to push the movement beyond the pitch, Hypebae joins Asahi Super Dry for a special creative collaboration with designer Sophie Hird.
Having established a career in upcycling deadstock apparel into statement outfits, Hird has been at the forefront of the fashion scene’s newfound obsession with sportswear. For her latest project, Hypebae invites the designer to harness her craft to reimagine traditional rugby shirts. With the help of east London-based team Black Girls Ruck, she explores how this symbol of uniformity can be transformed into an article of expressive style that represents a new era of rugby players.
To begin her process, the designer sits down with founder Anne Onwusiri and teammate Ehi Edevbalo-Ehizode to get a better understanding of their experiences as Black women in sport. “Rugby can be friendly and welcoming in so many ways, but there’s a lad-ish culture that makes you feel like you aren’t part of the group,” reflects Onwusiri. “Black Girls Ruck was created to celebrate being Black and open the conversation about race in sport. For me, a focus on identity and community is incredibly important.”
Taking their stories, Hird crafts two jerseys with an array of statement features characterizing their journey in rugby. One short-sleeved and another long-sleeved serve as the base where she weaves yellow and red strips of disused fabric in her signature appliqué style. Meanwhile, patches incorporating the team’s logo, an alternative double collar, and embroidered phrases, such as “Black Joy,” frame the central Asahi Super Dry logo with a playful touch.
“It was my first time working with rugby shirts, but I enjoyed the challenge,” says Hird. Using the duo’s shared love of hip-hop for stylistic cues, the designer shares the process behind her favorite component, the collar. She adds, “Popped collars are achieved in polo shirts, but I wanted to maintain that instantly recognizable rugby DNA, so I chose to double collar it. I love the multiple ways that this can be styled, one up, one down, both up, both down?”
As they wear the shirts for the first time at local pub Clapton Hart, Edevbalo-Ehizode expresses her excitement in being able to rock them off-pitch this summer with her favorite shorts and sneakers. Likewise, Onwusiri says, “I like being able to wear something that openly represents who we are: a team of Black women in sport.” And, why shouldn’t players in one of the toughest games be allowed to express individuality?
Be sure to take a closer look at the custom rugby shirts by Sophie Hird in the lookbook featured above.
To find out more about Asahi Super Dry’s involvement in the Women’s Rugby World Cup, head to its dedicated webpage or Instagram account now.
Disclaimer: We discourage irresponsible and/or underage drinking. Please drink responsibly and legally.
