Modern Pharaoh's Rugby Snapbacks For Kenya & South Africa

Words by Alyssa Klein & Netzayet Itzea

Modern Pharaoh is a California/Massachusetts-based apparel and lifestyle brand who recently caught our attention with their classic snapbacks. The brand's Liberian-born founder Adam Smarte, a former MLS player (for the San Jose Earthquakes, before injuries forced him into retirement) who spent his childhood between Accra, Ghana, Ibadan, Nigeria, Cote D'Ivoire, and finally Sacramento, California, began the label as a "Return to Royalty," he tells us. "As a company, we believe that there is greatness inherent in each of us," he says. "Our logo is a woman pharaoh as a means of challenging immediate perceptions of greatness. This is a hint of what we mean to do, to trigger thought and reactions in creatives across the world."

In May the brand launched a special football campaign of tees and caps to commemorate Ghana, Nigeria, and Cameroon's participation in the 2014 World Cup. Now, with the largest international rugby event slated to take place next month in Las Vegas, the label has shared a Rugby Collection of classic snapbacks for Kenya and South Africa– the two African teams competing at the Sevens World Series Event. Revealed this week, the caps feature the South African and Kenyan flags joined by a single logo in the front.

"We are currently working on some concepts and ideas for spring including a Jersey a few accessories and a few new countries to add to our snapback collection," Smarte told us. They also plan on re-releasing new color ways for their original Ghana, Liberia, and Naija snapbacks. Until then, the Rugby Collection is currently available for pre-order. For more, follow Modern Pharaoh on Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, and Instagram.