{"id":869158,"date":"2026-04-18T12:59:56","date_gmt":"2026-04-18T12:59:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/869158\/"},"modified":"2026-04-18T12:59:56","modified_gmt":"2026-04-18T12:59:56","slug":"what-sports-fashion-experts-think-of-the-ravens-new-uniforms","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nfl\/869158\/","title":{"rendered":"What sports fashion experts think of the Ravens\u2019 new uniforms"},"content":{"rendered":"

Join the huddle. Sign up here<\/a> for Ravens updates in your inbox.<\/p>\n

After 26 years of minimal updates to the team\u2019s uniforms, the Ravens unveiled an entire new collection<\/a> Thursday night, featuring new helmets, a new colorway and new raven-inspired collars. <\/p>\n

Was \u201cThe Next Flight\u201d worth the wait? Fans seem to think so<\/a>.<\/p>\n

And so do a handful of experts. The Banner collected reactions from five sports uniform enthusiasts and local fashion and design academics Friday. Here\u2019s what stood out to them about the Ravens\u2019 new looks.<\/p>\n

\"BaltimoreBaltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson models the newly all-black uniform. (Baltimore Ravens)<\/p>\n

\u201cOn first glance, the update to the Baltimore Ravens uniforms feels pretty subtle. It\u2019s not a drastic overhaul, and that\u2019s honestly a good thing. The Ravens already had one of the more recognizable looks in the NFL.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhere this redesign really stands out is in the details. The wing pattern integrated around the collar is a really smart nod to the team\u2019s identity without being overbearing, and the metallic outline on the numbers adds just enough depth to make them pop under the lights. I\u2019m also a big fan of the metallic gold accents to the purple alternate. They elevate the overall look without straying from the Ravens\u2019 core color palette.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd the all-black \u2018Darkness\u2019 helmet is a standout. It leans into the team\u2019s persona in a way that feels modern but still authentic to what the Ravens have built over time.<\/p>\n

\u201cOverall, it\u2019s a really cohesive update. They didn\u2019t try to reinvent the wheel, they just refined it, and in this case, that was absolutely the right call.\u201d<\/p>\n

Zach Cohen<\/a>, FanDuel content creator and sports uniform guru<\/p>\n

\u201cMan, these look so good, so sharp. Still stayed true to the brand. Not massive changes, but man, those iridescent accents, the new black matte alternate helmet, and then the Ravens\u2019 \u2018Purple Rising\u2019 jersey looking a little bit more like that old number font \u2014 I thought the Ravens knocked this out of the park.\u201d<\/p>\n

Min Cheung<\/a>, artist-in-residence in fashion design at Stevenson University<\/p>\n

\u201cThe new Ravens 2026 uniforms are an interesting take on retro. The colors are evenly distributed between the home and away uniforms and leave a lot to be desired. Swapping the tops and the bottoms is a simple fix and not very elegant. The alternate uniforms have some interesting features, such as the yellow numbers, but the overall typeface of the numbers is flat and adds to a cartoonishness to the uniforms. I was overall excited for more after waiting 26 years.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"BaltimoreRavens linebacker Roquan Smith models the new primary home uniform. (Baltimore Ravens)Victoria Pass<\/a>, Maryland Institute College of Art professor of fashion history<\/p>\n

\u201cI think it seems to me like they leaned into what was already kind of working in their uniforms. And I am biased. I\u2019m wearing my Ravens purple. Purple is my favorite color. … And I have always loved the connection to Edgar Allan Poe. I think that\u2019s a really unique team name that\u2019s really connected to Baltimore, and to have a team named for a poem, it\u2019s really so Baltimore to me. <\/p>\n

\u201cSo I\u2019m glad that they\u2019ve kind of kept a lot of those aspects of the uniforms. And I think they\u2019ve also made them very modern. I noticed, kind of looking at other NFL uniforms, a lot of them have retro details. They tend to have details that have been the same throughout, like plain racing stripes and numbers that sort of are throwbacks to earlier years.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd I think the Ravens seem like they\u2019ve always been like a little bit sleeker, a little bit more modern than that. And I think these uniforms just kind of level up that forward-looking design aspect of their look.\u201d <\/p>\n

Dr. Bridgett Clinton-Scott<\/a>, professor in University of Maryland Eastern Shore\u2019s fashion merchandising and design program<\/p>\n

\u201cThe color is very vibrant. I haven\u2019t seen it in person, but I like it. It\u2019s a modern, trendy look. … [The \u2018Midnight Purple\u2019] almost gives a reflective look, and it has more depth to it.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think overall, without inspecting the garment in person, a vibrant iridescent color is really what makes it pop, really what makes it stand out and what makes it different from the previous uniforms.\u201d<\/p>\n