For the 2024-25 season, both the first and second jerseys have been redesigned for the first time in three seasons. This time, for the first time in Toyota Verblitz's history, the design was handled by the Vision Design Department of Toyota Motor Corporation. The story behind its creation holds many fascinating details.
The Vision Design Department is usually responsible for design planning and vision development before actual products are developed. Their main focus is usually on designing car interiors, exteriors, and meter graphics, and this was their first time designing wear, like rugby jerseys.
The Vision Design Department received the request at the end of April. After listening to requests for colors and imagery, a design competition was held within the department after the Golden Week holidays. Dozens of designers submitted their work. The players reviewed all the designs, and the first jersey design by Eriko Kaneda (UX Design Division) and the second jersey design by Tsuyoshi Ōba (Interior Design Division, Interior Parts Design Group, Group Leader) were selected.
[Left: Eriko Kaneda, designer of the first jersey. Right: Tsuyoshi Ōba, designer of the second jersey]
The first jersey is green, the team’s signature color. The concept is "RAIJIN" (the God of Thunder).
“Verblitz is a team with a clear motif of lightning and the God of Thunder. I thought incorporating that uniqueness would make for a distinctive design,” said Kaneda.
A graphic inspired by the drums carried by Raijin is placed on both sides of the chest. To create a powerful impression, the shoulders are black. The lower part of the jersey features a traditional Japanese pattern, symbolizing Raijin's transformation into a pattern on the battlefield as he descends to fight on earth.
“The pattern wasn’t my idea; it came as advice from another team member who suggested that adding a Japanese pattern would make it more impactful,” Kaneda explained.
The creative designers developed their ideas in various ways.
“Some members submitted hand-drawn sketches, others used generative AI, while some created 3D CG models and even made realistic figurines. Each of us came up with ideas that showcased our individual strengths,” Kaneda said.
The second jersey is primarily red, reflecting Toyota's corporate colors. Since this jersey would be worn for away games, it needed to express a strength that could rival the home team’s first jersey. The concept is "TOYOTA MOTOR SPORTS IMAGE," inspired by the prototype cars, which are refined and improved on race tracks.
“I wanted to express the hidden strength of the team—its ‘unlimited potential.’ I combined camouflage patterns with checkered patterns, evoking the race's finish line, which I likened to scoring a try,” explained Ōba.
Ōba, who typically designs car interiors, put considerable thought into his first jersey design.
“Rugby players have more muscular builds than the average person, so I had to consider how the design would look when their arms were locked in a scrum,” he said.
The players also contributed ideas after seeing the designs.
The shorts for the second jersey feature the same pattern as the jersey itself, a first for the team. This idea came from a player’s suggestion.
“We made a special request to Canterbury, saying, ‘This is a request from the players themselves,’” said Ōba.
What significantly inspired both designers was the “Clubhouse Tour,” organized by the department when they announced the open call for designs. Designers who participated were deeply inspired by seeing the weight training sessions and the atmosphere of the clubhouse for the first time.
“The jerseys of the past generations were beautifully displayed in the clubhouse, and I drew a lot of inspiration from that,” said Ōba.
“The team's logo and the green team color were present everywhere inside the clubhouse, showing how much the members value Verblitz's identity,” said Kaneda.
The traditional Japanese pattern on the lower part of the first jersey actually comes from the company jersey used two generations ago.
The present, with players training hard, and the past, with jerseys on display, come together in the clubhouse, where Verblitz’s tradition is deeply rooted.
Seeing this with their own eyes allowed the designers to inherit the legacy of past jerseys. The new jerseys were completed with input from both the designers and their team members, each showcasing their strengths. The process of creation mirrored the spirit of rugby itself.
Once the season starts, there are plans to organize tours for the department members to attend matches. Ōba, who designed the second jersey, joked, “I guess I’ll have to go on a road trip.”
Wearing jerseys packed with the thoughts of their company colleagues, the players are eager to race towards the top and cross the try line.
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