Rowing Blazers × Arthur Ashe
Established in 2017, Rowing Blazers is the creation of archaeologist, rower, and author Jack Carlson. The clothing brand is inspired by the traditions, myths, and rituals Jack discovered while writing Rowing Blazers. Jack’s collection of vintage blazers, research in archaeology, heraldry, and classics, and his time at Oxford. From blazers to ties, to dress shirts to badges, each item from the collection has been meticulously researched with emphasis on details, all with a point of reference from Jack’s studies. Dedicated to authenticity, quality, and craftsmanship, and simultaneously to irreverence, inclusivity, sustainability, empowerment, and fun, each item from Rowing Blazers is made in the USA. ¶
Photo of Jack Carlson.
In August of 2022, Rowing Blazers launched the Arthur Ashe fashion brand. In case you aren’t familiar with the name, Arthur Ashe was a legendary tennis player: he was the first Black man to win the U.S. Open, Wimbledon, and a slate of other history-making titles. But he was also a lifelong activist. He changed a nation’s perceptions about AIDS and was arrested for protesting outside The White House; he spoke at the UN and broke the color barrier in apartheid South Africa. Through it all, Arthur Ashe was known for his style and calm demeanor on and off the court. A portion of all proceeds from the Arthur Ashe brand go to the Arthur Ashe Legacy Fund at UCLA and Social Change Fund United. ¶
Photo of Arthur Ashe after winning the Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championship on July 5th, 1975. Getty Images.
The Design
Nearly a year before the launch, in October of 2021, Jack Carlson and his team at Rowing Blazers reached out. They wanted me to craft the wordmark for the brand’s sport collection. A modified version of Vocal Type’s “The Neue Black” was created in collaboration with the design team at Rowing Blazers. ¶
The Sport Collection
Modifications to The Neue Black included weight and width adjustments and tests to see how these adjustments interacted with the Rowing Blazer’s color palettes. The result was a collection of 4 lighter weights from The Neue Black. ¶
Opening at the U.S. Open
For the Arthur Ashe brand launch, the Rowing Blazers team launched two pop-up shops during the 2022 US Open: one at the US Open (located near Court 15) and the other at 2 Rivington Street in Manhattan. The Manhattan Pop-Up features our full accessories collection, vintage books, racquets, and more. The US Open Pop-Up features exclusive products co-branded with the US Open. ¶ Designed by Parasol Projects, the space featured the logo from the sport collection on the walls, windows, checkout counters and more. ¶
Since the Launch
Since the launch of the Arthur Ashe brand, we’ve seen celebrities such as actor and comedian Will Ferrell wearing the ASHE sports logo sweater. ¶ The brand has started an ambassador program to amplify Ashe’s numerous contributions to our society and culture through its partnerships with the UCLA Arthur Ashe Legacy Fund and the Social Change Fund United. To start the program, the Grammy-nominated rapper, singer, and songwriter Aminé has been named their first ambassador. ¶ So far, the brand has used the our ASHE mark for two seasons. ¶
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Partner(s)
Creative Director: Jack Carlson
Brand Director: Karl Blanchard
Art Director: Georgia Gray
Photographer: Lucas Creighton
Stylist: Tinbete Whut
HMU: Allie J -
Timeline
Start: 08.2021
End: 10.2021
Launch: 08.2022 -
Service(s)
Fashion
Identity
Typography -
Note(s)
Seen in Essence, Gear Patrol, Golf Digest, Hypebeast, Racquet Magazine, Robb Report, Town & Country, and Vibe.