Pirates Present 2023/24 Home & Away Kit, Explain Design

Orlando Pirates have presented their new home and away kit for the 2023/24 season in collaboration with outh African fashion designer Thebe Magugu, who explained the skull design.

The Buccaneers had already unveiled their new shirts last week, but have now officially unveiled the kit with a lot more information.

“A football jersey stands as a powerful emblem of pride and togetherness, binding Buccaneers from diverse backgrounds into a unified force. As we set forth on a new football season, that includes the CAF Champions League, we carry Thebe Magugu’s exceptional creation on our shoulders, a true testament to our proudly South African identity and unity,” said Thandi Merafe, Media and PR Manager at Orlando Pirates.

The Sea Robbers partnered with Magugu, a young South African designer who became the first African to win the acclaimed LVMH Prize for Young Designers in 2019.

“I felt like it was important to hear the Orlando Pirates story before I began designing,” explains Magugu, who wanted to add a confrontational and intimidating edge that communicated power without saying a word.

“A tale of perseverance, fighting against the odds to become one of the most recognised figureheads in global sports. This idea of persistence is why I decided to treat the iconic skull logo as a maze. To symbolise the long and winding journey the team has travelled to land them here”.

The Orlando Pirates x Thebe Magugu 23/24 range consists of two new designs: a Home jersey (Black) and an Away jersey (Pistachio Green). Both feature the legendary Orlando Pirates skull and crossbow logo reimagined to incorporate a captivating maze pattern. The jersey rounds off with a Thebe Magugu back-neck sign-off and a unique raised crest. 

The players will debut the 2023/24 kit on the field for the first time when they will face Stellenbosch FC in their DStv Premiership opener on 5 August.