Modish Rugger is a rugby apparel company launched and run by Megan Owens. Read on to learn more about Megan, Modish, and how they're both going.
Name:
Megan Owens
Age:
25
Where do you live:
Sacramento, CA
Occupation:
Graphic Designer
Tell us about your rugby journey. When did you start playing? Who did you play for?
I played with Sacramento State’s sports club from 2017-2020. My rugby journey consisted of a lot of traveling and making lifelong memories with some of my best friends. COVID did cut my final season short, but I’m excited to hopefully get back into it soon!
What's a favorite rugby memory?
I had just joined the team and we were invited to a small tournament. I had never played and just wanted to watch because I was terrified to actually get out there. Next thing I know, my coach told me to sub in for someone. The look of horror on my face just made her smile more. Somehow I ended up with the ball, ran for a bit, then got tackled. Still not knowing much of the rules, I got a penalty for not placing the ball. Everyone was cheering me on and I was stoked that I caught the ball and had a second of glory. From then on, I was hooked! I am so thankful my coach pushed me to get out there. Shout out to KDub!
What inspired you to start Modish?
When COVID shut everything down, I started designing the rugby ghost illustration. My time was no longer consumed with graphic design homework. I moved back home with my parents and had so much free time, so I just started drawing. I hadn’t had a chance to draw for myself in years, so it felt nice to get back into it! I started getting creative with the rugby designs and sent them to my teammates. They convinced me to turn my designs into stickers and sell them! The stickers sold out within a couple days! After my first designs went big, I wanted to see what else I could create!
Who's on the Modish team?
Officially, it's just me; however, there is no way I could run this business alone. My boyfriend Andrew has been there for me since day one. He built a wooden screen printing press when I considered taking Modish from a sticker company to an apparel company. My roommates, old teammates, and good friends always help sort and fold the apparel. They come to tournaments to set up and be the best sales reps. Shout out to Marisa, Kelcie, Madi, Pooja, Morgan, Clara, M, Britt, and many more. My family has supported me entirely with starting a small business and is always encouraging me to do more. My brother Nic has been so supportive and helpful when it comes to all the legal dealings of owning a small business in California. Modish would be nothing without them!
What gaps in the current market can Modish address?
When I was playing in college, the tournament merch booths were predictable. Low-quality prints of someone holding a rugby ball, big blocky letters above it, on a shirt that never fit right. Ruggers want apparel that will last them a lifetime. They want apparel to show others how cool their sport is, recruit new players, and look like a unified club. They want designs that are current and relatable and clever. Modish addresses all these wants and more. On top of our modern designs, we invest in our apparel to make sure it lasts for a long time. We pay for high-quality blanks from brands like Comfort Colors, Independent Trading Company, Bella Canvas and many more highly reputable brands. We work with Garage Champs, a local shop, for high-quality screen printing and embroidery. We buy recycled poly mailers for our items because we understand the impact fast fashion has on our planet and even though we’re considered slow fashion, we want to do our part and offset our carbon footprint. Modish Rugger doesn’t want to create the fastest and cheapest thing to turn around and sell for a profit. We put so much time and care into our collections and we want it to be so apparent that our customers turn around and buy more.
How are sales?
Frankly, like any other small business, sales are always up and down. HOWEVER, with my recent collaboration with World Rugby Shop and introducing shorts to the Modish site, sales have boomed. September has been our best month and it can only go up from here. I have been waiting for a fire to catch and it's finally catching. Modish is being pushed to the public! It's been amazing.
Where do you see the company going?
I see big things for Modish Rugger. We recently partnered with World Rugby Shop, so I am hoping for more great partnerships and tournaments worldwide.
Tell us about your life beyond rugby and Modish:
I am pretty busy apart from owning Modish. My hobbies include traveling, skiing, and capturing moments on my film camera. I love spending time with my family; we recently went on a trip to Bermuda and it was a blast! I work full-time as a graphic designer for a real estate technology company. I am also a full-time dog mom to a Red Heeler named Biscuit. Trips to the park and walks around the neighborhood with her really make my heart feel full. I also live in a house with some old teammates and it’s never a dull moment. We spend a lot of time together cooking, watching Love Island, going out to breweries/bars and visiting our local farmers market.