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There must be a way to capture that contemporary, world-class approach on a sleeveless polyester top.
Jamaica inspired and delighted fans of fashion and sport with their jerseys for the FIFA Women’s World Cup. The home jersey using plain green and gold, no botanical references necessary, offered graphic momentum with lines mimicking a soccer ball. The brown away strip packed enough reggae swagger to be worn to nightclubs as well as sporting clubs.
Jamaican players wearing Grace Bonner Wales’ jerseys during last year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup.Credit: Getty, supplied
This was accomplished without the letter “J” and a crude map. It must be frustrating to have your state erased by lazy cartographers and supermarket chainssuch as Woolworths’ past failure to include the island state on its Australia Day merchandise, but the Tasmania Devils’ version is aesthetic overcompensation.
New Zealand also endures geographic erasure but has the good sense to put a silver fern on the jersey for the All Blacks.
The RM Williams heritage jersey and scarf for Rugby Australia.
Capturing the spirit of Tasmania has challenged other leading designers. The only feature of the queer, were-devil, DC comic book character the Tasmanian Devil is the letter “T” trimmed into its fur. This pacifist superhero, once skinned by a villain to make a decorative rug, is not the same as the Looney Tunes character trademarked by Warner Bros in 1984, and whose existence provided challenges to the formation of the Tasmanian AFL side.
The hyperactive Looney Tunes’ devil doesn’t even score a “T”.
There’s a reason why Jamaica scored big with their FIFA jersey before hitting the pitch. They invited designer Grace Wales Bonner to collaborate with Adidas on their design and tap into her Jamaican heritage.
That same spirit of collaboration has led to memorable Olympic Games kits by Stella McCartney for Team Britain, Giorgio Armani for Italy and Ralph Lauren for the United States.
In Australia, RM Williams managed a similar feat, with designer Daniel Aldridge creating a capsule Collection of Heritage Rugby Jerseysreleased before the Bledisloe Cup in Melbourne in July. The range sold out.
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Since Carla Zampatti created a Ford Laser in 1985Australian designers have been open to collaboration. This is a missed opportunity for the Tasmania Devils.
Pip Edwards’ label PE Nation, which has already worked with Ksubi, Asics, Virgin, Rebel, Reebok, SoulCycle and H&M, could have made room for one more.
Emerging Melbourne brand R.Sportwith its ’90s style, could have given the jumper more swagger than a mullet.
The inaugural guernsey is a start for the club but until a new design emerges, it is best worn beneath a Tasmanian tuxedo, known to those north of Bass Strait as a black puffer jacket.
Damien Woolnough is style editor.
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