DROP KICK: As France gets ready to host the 2023 Rugby World Cup, Ami is dropping a limited-edition collaboration with French rugby player Antoine Dupont on Monday.

At 26, Dupont, who plays in the scrum-half position, is considered one of the world’s top rugby players. As captain of the French national team, he led France’s squad to a number of victories, including winning the Grand Slam at the 2022 Six Nations championship.

For Ami founder and creative director Alexandre Mattiussi, teaming up with the athlete was a way to celebrate the game’s friendly values and spirit. “Rugby is a sport that wholeheartedly mirrors the values of Ami: it advocates friendship and inclusion, respect and team spirit,” he said.

Mattiussi pointed out that the number of items in the capsule – nine in total – matched his lucky number and Dupont’s shirt number on the field. The tournament is slated to run between Sept. 8 and 28 in various French cities.

Dupont said Mattiussi and the brand had “integrated [him] at the heart of the project, giving the word collaboration its full meaning.

“Rugby brings people together, it unites them, it teaches and encourages solidarity, integrity and loyalty,” said the sportsman, who also stars in a campaign shot by South African photographer Darren Gwynn, a regular collaborator of the French Fashion label.

Available in ivory and navy, the Ami Paris x Antoine Dupont capsule will priced between 130 euros for a cap up to 480 euros for a coach jacket. It will be available from Monday on Ami Paris’ e-commerce platform as well as select points of sale in France, the U.K. and Japan.