Welsh Designer Adam Jones Reimagines Umbro's Heritage Through Upcycled Sportswear Collaboration

Adam Jones, a 30-year-old gay Welsh-born fashion designer, has built a distinctive career by transforming everyday British culture into wearable art. His latest venture marks a significant milestone: a collaboration with Umbro, the renowned sportswear brand with deep roots in football heritage. The partnership represents a natural evolution for Jones, whose work has long celebrated British working-class aesthetics and resourcefulness.

The Adam Jones x Umbro collection is a limited-edition capsule that reimagines the brand's archival designs through Jones's distinctive creative lens. What sets this collaboration apart is its commitment to sustainability: the entire collection is crafted from Umbro deadstock—surplus inventory that would otherwise go to waste. This approach aligns seamlessly with Jones's established practice of upcycling and resourcefulness, principles that have defined his brand since its inception.

"That was my goal when I started working with Umbro,"Jones explained in an interview about the project. "We wanted to push boundaries whilst also having fun with it, and that sentiment permeates throughout the collection." The designer's philosophy reflects his broader approach to fashion: creating pieces that are both intellectually engaging and wearable, that celebrate heritage while remaining contemporary.

The collection draws heavily from Jones's personal history and his observations of British culture. His grandfather's eclectic personal style—characterized by unexpected pairings such as wearing a dress shirt and cardigan over grey joggers, or a sweatshirt paired with formal trousers and shoes—served as a primary inspiration. This juxtaposition of formal and casual, utility and urbanity, has become a hallmark of Jones's design philosophy.

Jones's creative journey began in his childhood in the small village of Froncysyltte in north Wales, where he spent formative years inspired by his grandmother's wardrobe. Playing dress-up and learning to sew from her, Jones developed an early appreciation for retro aesthetics and kitsch. His fascination with vintage style and resourcefulness would later become the foundation of his professional practice.

Growing up in Wales, particularly in Wrexham, Jones was surrounded by distinctive characters and a culture steeped in working-class values. These influences permeate his work, which celebrates the iconography and references of working-class Britain. His collections often feature characters inspired by the people he encountered growing up—figures with names like "Big June" and "the bucket man"—transforming everyday individuals into fashion muses.

The Adam Jones x Umbro capsule collection encompasses a comprehensive range of sportswear pieces, including track jackets, sweatshirts, hoodies, T-shirts, trousers, and joggers. The designs riff heavily on nostalgia, incorporating familiar elements of football uniforms such as argyle patterns and shiny stripes.

What distinguishes this collection are its experimental pieces, which feature deconstructed and salvaged classic dress shirts and polo tops. This process yields a distinctive smart-meets-casual hybrid aesthetic that is both comforting and contemporary. The collection seamlessly blends vintage aesthetics with contemporary comfort, creating pieces that work both on and off the pitch.

The price range of £50 to £230 reflects Jones's commitment to accessibility. Rather than positioning his work as luxury goods available only to the wealthy, Jones ensures that quality design and nostalgic style remain accessible to a broader audience of fashion enthusiasts.

Jones's rise in the fashion industry is notable for its unconventional path. After graduating from Manchester School of Art in 2013, he moved back to Wales to work in a local sewing factory while working on his own collection in the evening. A year later, he moved to London to establish his career. However, his journey was not straightforward. Struggling to find employment in the fashion industry—partly due to his self-described computer illiteracy and preference for hands-on work—Jones decided to establish his own label.

"I spent perhaps a year submitting applications, going for job interviews, and getting nowhere, so I decided if I wanted to be a part of the fashion industry, I have to do my own thing," Jones reflected on his early career challenges. He returned to Wales, secured employment at a local sewing factory making fancy dress costumes, and established a small studio where he worked nights developing his first collection since graduation. After completing this collection a year later, he moved to London to showcase his work during London Fashion Week.

Jones's signature aesthetic emerged from his deep connection to British pub culture. His work is characterized by upcycled beer towels from popular brands—Tetley, Guinness, and John Smith's—which he transforms into sweater vests, scarves, and tote bags. These pieces have garnered significant attention, with celebrities including Asa Butterfield and Tom Grennan becoming fans of his work.

The inspiration for this approach came organically. "Accidentally really, I have always spent a lot of time in the pub, it's just something you do in Wales especially," Jones explained.

A critical aspect of Jones's work is his approach to material sourcing. "Sourcing fabrics is 90% of my job, its research, my designs and the collection as a whole depends on what I can get hold of, "Jones stated. He spends considerable time researching and locating materials, allowing the textiles he discovers to dictate the aesthetic of his collections.

Currently based in South London's Deptford neighborhood, Jones sources materials from local high streets, markets, and boot sales. His studio practice remains intimate and hands-on; he continues to work on a small scale, finding materials, pulling textiles apart, and creating designs by hand.

Jones operates his business directly through Instagram, offering most products on a limited quantity, made-to-order basis. Despite receiving funding from concept stores in Seoul, London, and Berlin, he has maintained this accessible and intimate approach to his business model.

Regarding sustainability, Jones is candid about his motivations. "I always say sustainability was never the driving force, or I wouldn't have started a fashion label. Let's be honest, there's enough clothes in the world, we don't need another designer, sustainability is not my passion," he acknowledged. Rather, his commitment to upcycling stems from practical necessity and aesthetic preference—a desire to work with materials he finds compelling and to present a more sophisticated vision of upcycling.

As a gay designer working in the fashion industry, Jones represents an important presence in a field with a complex history regarding LGBTQ+ representation. His work celebrates British working-class culture and pub environments—spaces that have historically held significance for LGBTQ+ communities. His designs, which honor these spaces and the people within them, offer an affirming perspective that treats working-class British culture with respect and nuance rather than irony or appropriation.

Jones's approach differs notably from much of the fashion industry's relationship with working-class aesthetics. Rather than adopting working-class style as a trend to be discarded, Jones celebrates the communities he has been immersed in throughout his life. His work demonstrates a deep authenticity rooted in lived experience rather than performative engagement with cultural aesthetics.

The collaboration with Umbro represents a significant validation of Jones's design philosophy and approach. Umbro, a brand with deep heritage in football and sportswear, recognized the value in partnering with a designer whose aesthetic celebrates British culture and resourcefulness.

The collection is available through Good Hood and online at adamjones. studio. This partnership demonstrates how established heritage brands can collaborate with emerging designers to create collections that honor tradition while pushing creative boundaries.

Jones has articulated his vision for the future of his business, which extends beyond clothing production. "One thing I really want to do is have an open studio where my studio almost becomes a shop, an experience, where you can book a slot to pop in for a beer and shop, try pieces on, have a piece custom made or customised," he envisions. This ambition reflects his commitment to creating an accessible, experiential approach to fashion that celebrates community and connection.