As the inaugural season of the women’s AFL competition draws near, a decision on the rebranding of the uniforms still seems quite far away. With the season due to commence in 2017, a recent proposal of totally redesigning the women’s uniforms has sparked a debate between the AFL and its clubs.
The women’s AFL has a proposed moving away from the traditional football guernsey to a more modern, American-style uniform. Being not only a supplier but also a manufacturer of sporting apparel and uniforms this is a topic that got the Blackchrome Sportswear team talking.
An article from the The Age reveals that between the current women’s teams there are nine different apparel sponsors. The suggested overhaul would see that number reduced to just one sole supplier for the entire league. While there has been no official mention of a future partner, prominent women’s sportswear brands Lululemon Athletica, Lorna Jane and Cotton On are thought to be in the conversation.
Behind the potential marketing and commercial exploits that a new apparel partner could bring to the AFL, it appears that the real issue is finding a uniform that best suits the women playing. Reported by The Age, the Melbourne Demons’ community manager Debbie Lee believes that there are issues that need to be amended if the girls are to wear the traditional ‘footy jumpers’. “When I was president of the VWFL, we redesigned the jumpers because the loopholes around the arms were too big and some of the girls didn’t like their bras showing. That was in 2008, but we never got around to the shorts and it’s true that men have different hips to women, so they need to look at that.” She commented.
With over ten years of experience in the sportswear manufacturing industry, and experience in producing uniforms for a range of women’s sporting teams, Blackchrome feels that the needs and comfort of the players is the key to designing a successful garment.
Blackchrome’s Product Coordinator insists that creating a garment that is tailored to the female figure must be the first priority when designing a new guernsey.
“The important thing when designing a women’s version of a sporting uniform, is to first consider the fit and shape of a woman and work with that initially, then add in references from the pre-existing male counterpart. It is easy enough with graphics to make a female and male uniform for the same team to look similar without putting the two sexes in identical garments.”
The league is already under scrutiny for proposed changes to rules, playing time and the way the lists are managed, but a change to the uniforms may be the best result for the players. The team at Blackchrome will be waiting eagerly to see what the AFL decides, and more importantly what the clubs and players think.
