Matt Varga No imprint’s origin story is ever exactly the same, but EARLS Collection’s founding is entirely unto itself. Owner and operator Lewi Brown parlayed a career in the National Rugby League into what’s now a cultural staple in Australia, a premier menswear outfit that keeps deep roots in positivity and overall mental health at the center of its journey.
Undoubtedly, part of what’s propelled EARLS to maintain that psychological focus is Brown’s own story, where he learned that his estranged father had taken his own life in the late stages of Lewi’s rugby career. Evidently a struggle that ran through his paternal lineage, Brown turned Earl, his middle name and one shared by several generations dating back, into his calling card, now reclaimed away from what he once saw as negative connotations.
The Aussie outfit first made landfall on our frontpage with an ASICS GT-2160 back in 2024, centered around the former rugby player’s Maori heritage. It’s back to the homefront for chapter 2 with the Japanese giant, paying homage to the places from his adolescence that fostered his passion for sport. Joined in cream/brown colorways, the GEL-Cumulus 16 looks to the long weekend stretches on the front lawn where he practiced kicks. The earnest performance half of this effort is the Lethal Testimonial 4 IT, taking the concept of “home” and applying it to Crosbie Park, where Brown first turned that passion into results.
As of this writing, no official release date for the ASICS GEL-Cumulus 16 or Lethal Testimonial 4 IT have been announced by the principal players, but global retailer report a May 23rd wide launch.
