Orlando Pirates F.C. Partners with adidas to Unveil New Jerseys for 2023/24 Season
Orlando Pirates F.C. has partnered with adidas to present the official Home and Away jersey for the 2023/24 football season. Created in collaboration with South African fashion designer Thebe Magugu, the project marks the latest marriage of performance sportswear and streetwear.
As the cultural overlap between sports and fashion continues to expand, the football jersey’s iconic silhouette serves as a creative canvas that moves from pitch to streets. Through this design partnership, the Orlando Pirates, based in the Houghton suburb of Johannesburg, champion African design talent by showcasing its stylistic innovation on a global scale. “As we set forth on a new football season, which includes the CAF Champions League, we carry Thebe Magugu's exceptional creation on our shoulders, a true testament to our proudly South African identity and unity,” says Thandi Merafe, the team’s media and PR manager.
The Orlando Pirates x Thebe Magugu ‘23/24 range consists of two new designs: a Home jersey in black, and an Away jersey in pistachio green, both with matching shorts. They showcase the team’s skull and crossbow logo, which has been reimagined to incorporate a captivating maze pattern. This motif is inspired by the team’s perseverance, says Magugu, as it symbolizes their long and winding journey to success. Finally, details like Magugu’s back-neck sign-off and a unique raised crest complete the performance wear’s alluring appeal. Crafted from recycled materials, the jersey merges sustainability with moisture wicking AEROREADY and Climalite apparel technology, designed to keep athletes cool and dry.
Thebe Magugu designs the Orlando Pirates '23/24 football jersey with adidas.
Growing up in the South African cities of Kimberley and Johannesburg, Magugu’s designs reference his home’s vibrant history, complex present, and imagined future. In 2019, he took home the distinguished LVMH Prize for Young Designers, the first ever winner from the African continent. “My brand is all about exploring and bringing to light unique facets of our history and culture, and none has left more of an impact than the legacy of the Orlando Pirates,” says Magugu. “I am honored to contribute so significantly to that history.”
The jersey will make its field debut in Stellenbosch, South Africa on Saturday, August 5. “Football is a unifier. It brings out passion, love, hurt - things that speak to the human condition,” says Magugu. “For this reason, I think global sports is an important societal pillar; it reminds us of our humanity.”
The Orlando Pirates x Thebe Magugu 2023/24 jerseys will be available to purchase on July 27 online at adidas or at Orlando Pirates stores and select retail outlets.
