It’s not by chance that hip hop culture adopted varsity jackets straight away. The most successful college athletes were mostly African-American, and their strong connection with rappers pushed the latter to use
sport outerwear out on the street, giving a casual wear value to many sport garments: crewneck sweatshirts, sneakers and
bomber jackets. Athletes and rappers also often customized their varsity jackets with celebrative patches and tailored embroideries, a habit carried on by contemporary clothing brands, whose
satin jackets and collegiate blazers usually reflect the brand’s distinctive identity. Our varsity offering is extremely diverse and well-balanced: SPECTRUM boasts casually-styled models alongside
sportswear brands Mitchell & Ness and New Era, which keep the American sport tradition alive through warm-up jackets and
vintage NBA jackets dedicated to popular teams – Lakers, Celtics, Bulls, Warriors, Knicks. Skate brands Stüssy, Obey and Huf manufacture cotton twill and corduroy varsity jackets with loud printing and bold patches, while American lifestyle Tommy Jeans and Calvin Klein craft jackets drawing inspiration from the
preppy style aesthetic. Instead, Nike varsities are halfway between technical sport outerwear and a plain casual jacket. Thanks to their unmatched popularity and how easily they can be customized, college jackets often make up the very core of sought-after
streetwear collaborations.