SEGA OF AMERICA AND ROWING BLAZERS PARTNER ON A CAPSULE COLLECTION CELEBRATING SONIC THE HEDGEHOG

Rowing Blazers, a brand known equally for its subversive twist on “preppy” staples and its unexpected collaborations, is partnering with SEGA of America, Inc. on a new capsule collection, celebrating Sonic the Hedgehog by combining Rowing Blazers’ elevated Ivy League aesthetic with 1990s Sonic graphics.

The collection features an intarsia-knit cotton sweater emblazoned with Sonic’s image, which Rowing Blazers Founder and Creative Director, Jack Carlson says was adapted from an early ’90s knitting pattern book. Other pieces include a zip-up polar fleece, heavyweight rugby jerseys, a French terry loopback hooded sweatshirt, cotton tees and mesh shorts. Accessories include baseball caps, a heavy-duty canvas tote bag, a necktie and a Sonic patch featuring hand-embroidered wire bullion goldwork. The primarily black, yellow, and white pieces allow for Sonic’s signature shade of blue to pop.

“Everything we do at Rowing Blazers is connected to my life in one important way or another. A lot of it has to do with the things I loved growing up: the sports, the brands, the culture. I grew up in the ‘90s playing Sonic the Hedgehog on the SEGA Genesis (and its British counterpart, SEGA Mega Drive). Sonic has always been such an interesting character to me. In the original games (the ones I grew up playing), he was a little bit brash, a little bit punk. He was different from other cartoon and video game protagonists. He was very ‘90s,” Carlson stated. “Of course, there have been a lot of Sonic clothing capsules created over the years. I wanted to do something elevated, really beautifully made, and kind of timeless in its aesthetic. Of course, there’s a kind of irony to it because Sonic himself isn’t really very preppy, but that’s the fun of it. And I love making things that I wish would exist. I love Sonic, but if I’m going to wear something with Sonic on it, I’d like it to be really well-made – I’d like it to be something like a rugby, a piqué icon polo, an intarsia sweater. Something a little unexpected.”

The collection retails between $38 and $325 USD, and launches on Thursday, September 29th, 2022, at rowingblazers.com.