Rowing Blazers launches Arthur Ashe collection through Afterpay

Rowing Blazers launched a five-piece capsule collection for its Arthur Ashe subbrand on Friday, according to a press release last week.

The line includes a hoodie, T-shirt, hat, tennis balls and Nalgene-brand water bottle, and prices range from $20 to $175. Each purchase also includes a tote bag.

The collection is exclusively distributed through HBX.com via the Afterpay app’s DropShop, according to an Afterpay spokesperson. HBX is an e-commerce platform for streetwear and lifestyle brands,  luxury fashion and archival pieces.

Rowing Blazers launched the Arthur Ashe brand in 2022 to share the legacy of Ashe, a tennis player, civil rights and AIDS activist, according to Jack Carlson, founder and creative director of Rowing Blazers. 

“It’s a small brand right now, but I believe one day it will be as famous as Lacoste and Fred Perry — two other brands named after iconic tennis players,” Carlson said in an email. “This capsule with HBX and Afterpay pays homage to the shades of blue associated with the US Open and the Australian Open — two of the Grand Slams Ashe won — and to his alma mater, UCLA.”

Afterpay, an app which allows customers to pay for products across multiple transactions, markets its DropShop as offering consumers exclusive access to limited-edition merchandise. The Afterpay spokesperson said the app is “actively expanding its merchant partnerships to include a diverse range of businesses” including Crocs and Sephora.

Afterpay and HBX have previously collaborated on drops including sneakers and homeware, per the spokesperson. The Arthur Ashe collection is its first sportswear release.

“HBX first began offering Afterpay as an option to customers checking out on HBX.com in 2022 before expanding to collaboration on experiential initiatives aligning with the evolution of drop culture, while meeting the importance of accessibility and innovation with next-gen shoppers,” the spokesperson said in an email.

Meanwhile, Rowing Blazers recently sold a majority stake of its business to Burch Creative Capital. At the time of the deal, Rowing Blazers said it was looking to hire new positions, develop its womenswear line and grow its retail footprint. Following the deal, the brand named Laura Willensky its new CEO.