The limited edition collection made in collaboration with the Red Roses is the UK’s first wearable report.
The past year has been transformative for the England women’s rugby team, otherwise known as the Red Roses. Since the Lionesses’ historic victory against Germany at the Euro’s in 2022, the landscape for women in British team sport has quickly evolved, with opportunities beginning to flood in. However, the euphoric multiple successes of the English women’s football team have received much larger praise than their rugby counterparts.
The current world number ones, the Red Roses proved their merit earlier this year at the Guinness Women’s Six Nations, where 8.1 million viewers tuned in to watch the girls bring home the coveted silverware. “People want to watch some good rugby, and they know that they're going to get that with this Red Roses team,” Red Roses fullback and Olympian Ellie Kildunne told HALOSCOPE. As they secured their sixth consecutive Six Nations victory, it was clear to Kildunne that the tides were starting to turn. “To run out and have that many people there,” she said, “It made me feel like it's something that we're gonna have to start getting used to.”
This England side holds the longest winning streak by any team, men’s or women’s, in the tournament's history, and yet their popularity amongst the general public is not reflective of their achievements — even if attendance is increasing.
The Rugby Football Union, Women’s Sports Trust, and O2 have come together to deliver a fresh report as part of a long-term study into the visibility of the Red Roses. This new vital data has formed the basis of a new fashion collection: the UK’s first-ever wearable report designed by 5022, the creative platform of Kildunne. Featuring key findings from the report, the collection is designed to both hero the achievements of women in rugby and tackle the gender awareness gap in the sport.
“I don't think people are actually fully aware of the statistics and the kind of issues around tackling that gender awareness gap, particularly in what's been a male-dominated sport for years and years and years,” said Sarah Bern, who has an impressive 61 caps for her national team.
The statistics are a clear indication of where women’s rugby is currently standing. “63% of rugby union fans couldn't name one of the England women's players,” Lark Atkin-Davis, who began playing rugby at the age of ten, added, saying, “That's something that obviously you want to see growth in.” Atkin-Davis, Bern, and Kildunne all agree that the latest data should be seen by as many as possible and it is the innate visual aspect of fashion that has made this such an interesting project for them. “People are going to be able to see those sorts of statistics on the clothing and hopefully it will really be a way of educating people,” said Atkin-Davis.
Inspired by the different elements of the report, the limited-edition pieces feature embroidered symbols, abstract visualisations, and, of course, the beloved classic rugby jersey. While some of the tops represent the delineation of rugby and showcase the growth and change that is currently in motion, others shine a light on the presence of women’s rugby in the media and the progress being made to close the gender awareness gap. What they all have in common, however, are the Red Roses’ achievements.
“I'm quite a creative person, anyway, and to have an outlook that is slightly different to rugby, but is also tied in, has been something that's definitely helped me keep ticking,” Kildunne said, having worked on the collection for several months, including during the Six Nations and the Paris Olympics. The conscious decision by O2, the Rugby Football Union, and Women’s Sports Trust to work with Kildunne and the wider team was praised by Bern, who said, “They could have gone to any designer, but they actually chose to go with the Red Roses to help uplift our profile, which will hopefully help grow us as individuals and as a team.” Kildunne agrees and believes this sort of partnership is the way forward for player involvement, saying that brands should, “Do something a bit off-piste, do something that they haven't done before and take that leap.”
Gareth Griffith, Director of Partnerships and Sponsorships at Virgin Media O2, concurs, saying in a statement: “We want to help drive positive change in the sport, and gender parity is at the top of our priority list. Sometimes you have to make a statement to be heard and that’s exactly what this fashion collection does.” He added, “We will never stop calling on fans to join us in stepping up for the Red Roses.”
For Kildunne, this will not be her only foray into the creative sphere. “I very much enjoyed it and I know I want to do something like this again and it's definitely got my brain ticking on what else I can do to close that gap off the pitch.”
The future is bright for this Red Roses squad, who will see the Women’s Rugby World Cup come to their home country in the summer of 2025. “We're definitely looking for a WXV title again. We're looking to get another Six Nations title if we can. It's definitely quite inspirational for those goals, but they’re targets that I think we can achieve if we work hard together,” Bern said of the work that lies ahead. Off the pitch, the aim is to continue growing their brand in hopes of greater support. “When we do get to that World Cup, it's not just Oh, I didn't know they were playing, it's, Oh, I've been waiting for this. I really enjoy them in the Six Nations and I'm gonna go and watch those games. And actually, I'm also gonna go watch South Africa versus Scotland or something.” In Bern’s eyes, it’s not just for the Red Roses, “It's for the whole of women's rugby.”
O2 and Virgin Media broadband customers can get their hands on the exclusive collection via Priority from O2 from Monday, 9th September, 2024. 🌀
Molly Elizabeth is a freelance fashion writer and commentator based in London.