This week, Supreme teamed up with Burberry for a collection so exquisite it’s almost entirely turning around the discussion about the streetwear brand falling off. There’s nary a miss amongst the Nova-check heavy garms, but the best of them all might be the rugby sweaters that make use of Burberry’s iconic patterns.
The silhouette has strong roots in both the realms of streetwear and prep, making it an excellent bridge between two brands of completely disparate origins. If you didn’t purchase the collaborative rugby yet, it’s too late to avoid a hefty markup on the resale market, but it does have us thinking about other sweaters out there that are also worthy of your investment.
A rugby sweater’s strengths are right there in its name, as the durable knit was originally made to hold up to the rigors of the sport. When Patagonia founder Yvon Chouinard made a trip in the ‘70s to Scotland, it dawned on him that the garment would also serve climbers well and it thus became the brand’s first item of apparel to go on sale. Because of developments in technology, few climbers or rugby players still wear it, but it’s since become a preppy staple that also enjoys street appeal in large part due to dedicated Polo enthusiasts.
This time of year is particularly great for wearing rugbies, as the transition between winter and spring calls for something moderately warm and versatile. You can dress it up lightly with trousers or pair it with athletic shorts for a sportier look once temps climb even higher. However you wear it, the rugby will be a great item to keep by your side in the months ahead. We’ve gone ahead and scouted out the best of them that you can purchase now with ease.
Input may receive a portion of sales if you purchase a product through a link in this article. We only include products that have been independently selected by Input’s editorial team.
Rowing Blazers is a big reason prep has made such a strong return recently, and the brand’s become better known for its high-quality rugbies than its namesake garment. We’re particular fans of this one because of its gradient like stripes in a can’t-miss combo of pink and blue.
Fear of God’s dedicated basics line Essentials is expanding upon its foundation of hoodies and tees with a rugby just as worthy of a regular spot in your wardrobe.
Noah retooled the rugby to make it more breathable with a quarter zip opening and metal eyelet vents under the arm. These small tweaks may just add another month each year to the time you can wear it.
Patagonia is still making rugbies all these years later, and wearing one might just make you the coolest person on any wall you come upon.
J. Crew’s use of cashmere ensures you won’t find a softer rugby anywhere.
These big stripes and brown color blocking call to mind Stüssy’s original heyday of the ‘90s and show that the OG streetwear brand never needs to stray too far from its roots.
Most rugbies can be easily adopted by any gender, but Adidas took special to care to make a jersey truly everyone can wear.
We just have to end the list with Polo Ralph Lauren, without which rugbies may not have enjoyed staying power for so long.
