THE FIRST CLASS RUGBY

A slave jail became a classroom. Sit with that.

In 1865, a Richmond slave-trading complex where Black people had been confined and sold became a place where newly freed Black people were taught. From that transformation came part of the foundation of what would become Virginia Union University.

The First Class Rugby tells that story through the language of classic collegiate clothing.

Maroon and gray stripes represent the VUU we recognize today. On the back, 1865 sits over an image of Lumpkin's Jail, forcing the beginning of the story into the center of the garment.

And on the front, the archival-inspired label isn't simply decoration.

It's the key.

Embedded inside the label is NFC technology. Tap it with your phone and the garment opens The Legacy We Wear, the Genius League Studios documentary exploring the history behind Virginia Union University and the people whose lives made its existence possible.

The garment tells you what happened.

The tap tells you why it matters.