The Original Sweatshirt
The Complexity
Most brands borrow from culture. Russell Athletic built it. They just stopped telling anyone.
In 1926, Benjamin Russell’s son complained that his wool football uniform was unbearable. Russell, a cotton manufacturer in Alexander City, Alabama, solved the problem by sewing a cotton jersey top. He invented the sweatshirt. A century later, the very garment he created had become the foundation of streetwear, fashion, and athletic culture worldwide. The brand simply hadn’t reminded anyone, lately.
The Idea
We went back into history and pulled forward what was undeniable. The iconic R mark, re-anchored to reflect both the tradition and the ambition of the brand. A visual system built around the tension between heritage and modernity, structured enough to honor where the brand came from and flexible enough to take it somewhere new. A framework that guided every brand decision, from tone of voice to typography, color, and art direction.
The Outcome
The repositioning paved the way for the KITH SS19 Capsule Collection, 9,600 SKUs that sold out on drop. Russell Athletic grew from $100 million in 2018 to $500 million in 2022, becoming the best performing brand in the Fruit of the Loom portfolio.
- Brand Strategy
- Creative Direction
- Art Direction
Russell Athletic grew 400%, becoming the best-performing brand in the Fruit of the Loom portfolio.
- KITH
- Mathew Luem - ethnography