The Arizona Coyotes have added another step in their new branding with the latest third jersey.
With the new design, the team hasn’t strayed far from their abode with the latest desert-inspired jersey. From sharp edges and mountain outlines to burgundy, the latest offering evokes Arizona.
The special edition “Desert Night” jersey, created by Rhuigi Villaseñor, the team’s creative strategist and global fashion designer, will make its debut Sunday against the Vegas Golden Knights at Mullett Arena.
When the team hired Villaseñor, founder and creative director of Los Angeles-based streetwear brand Rhude, in October, he pioneered the only fashion designer working with an NHL team. Other teams, such as the Toronto Maple Leafs, have collaborated with fashion brands.
“I thought outside the box so much that this is how I wanted to approach the sport of hockey,” Villaseñor said. “When I think of Arizona, I think of the pottery and the color of the clay, the color of the sun, the sunrises and sunsets, all these different tones that are part of the American DNA. I wanted to create something global and unforgettable. The goal is to spread Arizona to the world, and that’s what we’ve done.”
One of the most important elements was the change from the team’s existing howling coyote head logo, which had disappeared over the years with the return of the Kachin logo.
The Coyotes have long earned style points throughout the franchise’s existence with countless jersey choices. Collaboration with a designer with a vision of designing a streetwear jersey was another step.
“It was important to us as we see this influx of sports, fashion and culture to be at the forefront of it and to be a pioneer,” Coyotes Chief Brand Officer Alex Meruelo Jr. said. “Getting Rhuigi, the designer, to use his fashion name in relation to one of his brands was top notch and we’re excited about it.”
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Unlike past jerseys that focused on the logo, the Coyotes had “Arizona” front and center in sand-colored cursive letters. The star on the “I” represents the desert night when coyotes hunt the national flag. The geckos from the shoulder straps of the team’s original green third jersey are located inside the collar.
The pants will have sand-colored cactus on them to go with the burgundy helmets and gloves.
Including Sunday’s game, the Coyotes will have worn the third jersey at home 14 times this season. In addition to selling jerseys, the team will also launch a capsule collection with the same brand on clothing and caps.
“We drew a lot of inspiration from mountains to sand to shooting stars and cacti with rough textures and edges,” said Meruelo. “For example, a river stamp is not flat and solid, it is very sharp, it is bent and curved. We tried to really take from Arizona as a whole and make a jersey out of it.”