Lewi Brown On Family, Fashion And Designing His Own ASICS Football Boot
Rooted in purpose
By Kiri Johnston | 29th June 2026From rugby league to fashion, Lewi Brown has never been afraid to take the unconventional path. The founder of EARLS has built a brand that sits at the intersection of sport, culture and storytelling, earning a loyal following through authenticity and purpose. His latest collaboration with ASICS SportStyle is perhaps his most personal yet, taking him back to Christchurch, New Zealand, where his journey first began.
Shot in the neighbourhood that shaped him, the campaign celebrates family, community and the people who believed in him long before he became an NRL player or fashion founder. It also reflects the values that continue to define both Brown and EARLS — resilience, creativity, vulnerability and staying true to where you come from.
We spoke with Lewi to talk about the inspiration behind the collaboration, his Māori heritage, building a brand through healing, and why opening doors for the next generation matters more than anything else.
This ASICS collaboration feels really personal. Why did you want it to reflect your upbringing and memories growing up in Christchurch?
“My first collaboration was centred around my culture and celebrating my Māori heritage. For this second collaboration, I wanted to take it back to where it all began—to the people and places that believed in me long before the dream became real.
I wanted to shine a light on the people who helped shape me: my family, my community, and the local heroes who encouraged a young boy from Belfast, Christchurch, to dream big. The Riccarton Knights gave me a place to belong, and they made me believe that anything was possible.
Taking this campaign home felt incredibly important. We shot at places that carry so much meaning for me—the big house where I grew up, Crosby Park, and the spaces where I spent countless hours dreaming about playing in the NRL. Those places gave me a sense of safety and confidence, and they’re a huge part of who I am today.
My mum and nana have always been my backbone. They never wanted the spotlight, but they’ve played the biggest role in my life. This campaign was my way of saying thank you—not just to them, but to the entire community that supported me along the way.
I think it’s important that we never forget where we come from. Family and community are everything, and I wanted this collaboration to tell a real story—one that people can connect with, because we all come from somewhere and we’re all shaped by the people around us.”
Māori culture and whakapapa are clearly a big part of both your life and EARLS. How important is it for you to represent that through the brand?
“My culture is a huge part of who I am. I’m incredibly proud to be Māori, and no matter where I go in the world, I’ll continue to represent that because it’s part of my DNA.
EARLS has always been an extension of who I am. I don’t pretend to be something I’m not, and I think authenticity is one of the most important things in life and in business. My upbringing and my culture have shaped the way I see the world, and I want that to flow through everything we create.
It was important for me to take this collaboration back home—not only for my family, but for New Zealand as a whole. We come from a small country with incredible people, culture, creativity and talent. There are so many amazing artists, designers and brands across New Zealand and Australia, and I believe we should celebrate each other more.
There’s enough room for everyone at the table. I don’t see other brands as competition—I see myself as my own competition. If we can support one another and continue to champion creativity across both countries, we all move forward together.”
You’ve spoken openly about your family history and redefining the meaning behind the name “Earl.” Did building EARLS help you process some of that?
“Absolutely. Building EARLS has been one of the biggest healing journeys of my life. For a long time, my middle name was something I ran from because it was deeply tied to my relationship with my father and the loss that my family experienced. When my father passed away, and I later learned that my grandfather had also taken his own life, there was a lot I had to process.
As a young boy, I associated that name with pain. But as I got older—and through therapy and a lot of personal work—I realised that the name itself wasn’t the problem. It was actually something powerful that had been passed down to me. Starting EARLS gave me the opportunity to redefine what that name meant. I wanted to take something I had viewed through darkness and bring it into the light. In many ways, the brand helped me heal—not only from losing my father, but from growing up without him.
I often say that I didn’t truly become a man until I faced those fears. Building EARLS forced me to confront parts of myself I had avoided for years, and through that process, I found healing, purpose and a deeper understanding of who I am.”
What did designing your own ASICS football boot mean to you personally?
“To be honest, I still don’t think I’ve fully processed it. I’m not sure I’ve even had the time to properly reflect on what it all means. There are dreams in life that you think are achievable, and then there are dreams that feel so far beyond reach that you never really allow yourself to imagine them. Designing my own football boot was one of those dreams. Coming from my upbringing, it was something I never thought was possible.
As a kid, we couldn’t always afford boots. I wore hand-me-downs, borrowed boots and made do with what we had. So to go from that to having the opportunity to design my own boot and bring it to life is incredibly special. But what I’ve come to realise is that it was never just about the boot itself. It was about opening a door for the next generation to walk through. Once something has been done, people start to believe it’s possible.
I was fortunate enough to be the first person from our side of the world to do it, but my hope is that it won’t be the last. If a young athlete, designer or creative sees this and thinks, “If he can do it, maybe I can too,” then that’s what means the most to me. Of course, seeing NRL players, rugby players and athletes wearing the boot was an incredible feeling. But the thing I’m most proud of is creating belief. The door is open now, and I hope the next generation walks straight through it. Whether it’s a young boy or girl dreaming of designing their own boot one day, I want them to know that it can be done. I’m just grateful to have helped make that possibility feel real.”
Your mum seems to have had a huge influence on your life. How has family shaped the way you approach both life and business?
“No words can truly describe what my mum means to me or the impact she’s had on my life. I don’t even think she realises how strong she is.
My mum worked three jobs to keep the lights on and food on the table. She never told me to work hard—she showed me what hard work looked like. She got up early, turned up every day and did whatever she had to do for our family. That’s where I learnt that nothing in life is given to you—you earn it.
What’s always stood out to me is that she never put limits on me. She never told me I couldn’t dream. When I told her I was leaving school and moving to Australia to chase rugby league, she simply believed in me. When I retired from the NRL, she believed in me then too. She’s never put a ceiling on what I could achieve. She’s always allowed me to be myself, and I think that’s one of the greatest gifts a parent can give their child. We have a saying in our family: “Till the wheels fall off.” My mum, my sister and I have always had each other’s backs, and that’s shaped everything about who I am—both in life and in business.”
EARLS sits between fashion, sport and culture in a way that feels pretty unique. Did you feel like something was missing from the market when you launched it?
“I did. I’ve always believed that if you’re going to create something, it needs to have a point of difference. There’s no point putting something into the world that already exists. That’s probably been a reflection of me my whole life. I’ve never really fit into a box. I dressed differently, wore loud colours and always tried to be myself. EARLS is an extension of that—it’s not for everyone, and that’s okay. That’s the beauty of creativity.
I wanted to create something that felt missing in the market, but also something that encouraged people to be a little uncomfortable and try something different. Growth comes from stepping outside your comfort zone. Retiring from rugby league and starting a brand was one of the most uncomfortable things I’ve ever done, but it’s also been one of the most rewarding. If there’s one thing I tell young people starting out, it’s to study the market, learn from the pioneers who came before you and create something with a genuine point of difference. And above all, be patient—if it’s only about money, it’s probably not for you.”
A lot of men in sport still struggle to talk openly about mental health and vulnerability. Is that something you consciously want to change through your platform?
“Absolutely. I’ve always spoken openly about my experiences—my father’s suicide, my grandfather’s suicide, my own struggles and the darker moments in my life. But I’m not unique in that experience. There are so many people carrying battles that others can’t see. I think we need to get better at supporting each other and understanding that everyone is going through something. We place so much value on looking good physically, but to me, true wellbeing starts with your mind. Being mentally healthy, calm and at peace is just as important.
When I retired from rugby league, I realised that the tools I’d developed to succeed in sport didn’t necessarily prepare me for life outside of it. I had to invest in myself, do the work and go to therapy. Therapy is a lot like training. You can either go through the motions, or you can really lean into it and do the hard work. Growth happens in uncomfortable places. It’s difficult, but that’s often where the biggest breakthroughs happen. Life is a lot like running a marathon. Every kilometre feels different, and sometimes you don’t think you can take another step—but you do. You put one foot in front of the other and keep moving forward. That’s life.”
Sport-inspired fashion is everywhere right now, but EARLS feels authentic because it comes from lived experience. How do you protect that as the brand grows?
“Honestly, I think the key is simply staying real. I’ve always believed that what you put out into the world is what you get back. If you’re a good person, tell the truth and stay true to your values, you don’t have to protect authenticity—it naturally stays with you. We live in a world with a lot of noise and a lot of things that aren’t always real. But if you remain grounded in who you are and where you come from, that authenticity can’t be taken away. Everything I’ve learnt about being a good person came from my mum and my grandparents. As long as I stay true to those values, EARLS will always remain authentic.”
When you retired from the NRL, did you always know fashion would be your next move?
“I always knew I wanted to be part of fashion in some way. I had so much respect for the people building brands because I understood how difficult it was. I’ve always loved testing myself and stepping into uncomfortable situations because that’s where growth happens. If you asked people close to me during my rugby league career, they’d probably tell you fashion was always the natural path for me.
Rugby league was a very structured environment. From a young age, I was told what to do, how to train and even how to present myself. I wanted the opportunity to control my own destiny and create something that felt true to me. Looking back, it’s quite fitting that I dressed differently during my playing career and now own my own clothing brand. The thing I’m most proud of is that I’ve stayed true to who I am—and I think that’s reflected in EARLS.”
If your younger self growing up in Christchurch could see where you are now, what do you think he’d say?
“I think he’d be shocked—but at the same time, part of him would believe it. Even as a young kid, I had big dreams and a big imagination. Life has taken me on a journey I never could have fully predicted, but I always believed there was something more out there. My grandfather once told me, “Son, you’ll never be put on a path that you can’t handle.” I carry those words with me every day.
People often see the highlights—the rugby league career, the brand, the opportunities—but they don’t always see what’s under the bonnet. They don’t see the challenges, the grief, the mental battles or the setbacks that shaped me. Life is a lot like rugby league: when you get tackled, you get back up. I’ve had to do that many times in many different ways.
More than anything, I think that little boy would just be grateful. Grateful for the journey, grateful for the people who believed in him and grateful for the opportunity to keep opening doors for others. At the end of the day, I just want to be a good human and stay true to who I am.”
Shop the edit
Check out the EARLS x ASICS edit here.
