Adidas has partnered with designer Fabio Novembre to create patches for its VRCT jacket — a customisable and adaptive take on the American college classic.

Novembre Studio designed the font for the varsity – or VRCT – jacket, a style that has been associated with college sports since the Harvard University baseball team debuted their letter sweaters in 1865.

Featuring on the circular patches attached to the jacket's front lefthand side, the font is contemporary not just in its look but also in its conception.

The font is adaptive, so customers can customise the patches with whatever word or phrase they like, using up to six characters, and the software will automatically adjust the letter weight to fill the circular space.

There are 12 different widths that correspond to 12 different weights, depending on the size of the letter, so any one patch can end up combining up to six different weights of lettering.

"This system gives consistency and balance to the lettering, having always different heights and measures," said Studio Novembre.

The VRCT patches are affixed to the jacket to create a personal item of clothing. The studio describes the patches as "a canvas of self-expression and individuality".

Traditionally, varsity jackets represent school pride, with patches indicating the student's personal awards and achievements as well as the team they belong to.

Customers can personalise their patches via the Adidas website, which suggests you "add your name, a word, your dog's name, or well, basically anything (appropriate!) to your patch".

There are also five standard options, reading "author", "brave", "family", "I'm perfect" and "sacrifice".

Novembre Studio told Dezeen that it is increasingly working on graphic design projects, including a new Mission Winnow logo that is used on Ferrari and Ducati race cars.

Novembre himself is an Italian architect and designer, who was appointed scientific director of the Domus Academy school of design in Milan in 2018.

His past product designs include the Him and Her chairs for Casamania, the Jolly Roger skull seats for Gufram and the Villa doll houses for Kartell.