All Blacks 2023 jersey Photo: New Zealand Rugby
The All Blacks jersey for this year's World Cup has been designed by a Frenchman.
The All Blacks World Cup 2023 kit has been revealed with supplier adidas working closely with New Zealand Rugby on its design.
Fey The Wolf - an emerging Parisian-based street-style designer, who is known for his distinctive and creative use of the colour black was involved in its design.
Working closely with current All Blacks players, Fey The Wolf and the adidas design team created kit that is centred around the significance of the New Zealand silver fern.
They claim the kit is packed with leading technical innovations and built upon All Blacks' insights and testing feedback, it is designed to enable play at the highest level.
The result is a jersey that includes ergonomic side panels in the abdominal area for a tight, three-dimensional fit, and for extra compression around the body's upper, the on-pitch jersey comes in a bias cut.
Celebrating this element of All Blacks culture alongside that of the 2023 Rugby World Cup home nation, the shirt interweaves the rounded edges found on fronds' in France into the silver fern design found on the new jerseys.
Printed across the replica and on-pitch jerseys, the fern's outline is made via a bold single continuous stroke in a nod to the understanding that players never own the jersey - instead protecting it and passing it along to the next generation; creating one continuous line of guardianship.
At the heart of the on pitch jersey is an emblem made up of 14 differently sized ferns - to signify the diversity and differing experience of the current squad. Completing the emblem, the crest of the team acts as the 15th fern, with each facing inwards to create the "USO" mark; a Samoan term meaning brother, in honour of the bond between the All Blacks.
All Blacks halfback Aaron Smith is impressed.
"The jersey is so important, not only to us as players, but to all New Zealanders around the world - so to have the opportunity to talk through what the jersey and the fern means to us as a nation with Fey The Wolf, and be a part of that creative process, was a really unique experience."
Fey The Wolf, Designer said.
"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 and to help, I was lucky enough to spend time with members of the squad, which provided valuable insight.
"What stood out to me most, is the sense of guardianship. That the jersey is never owned but passed on to create a continuous line. This was a true jumping off point when starting the creative process - and the responsibility I too carry."
The on-field jersey is made with a high-performance yarn which contains at least 89% Recycled polyester.
Replica jerseys will be available on July 1st.