Designing the Spirit of St. Pauli: Handball, Community, and Creative Freedom

When it comes to capturing the soul of a club like St. Pauli Handball, authenticity is everything. It’s what drives their supporters, defines their culture, and now – thanks to a unique collaboration – inspires their latest handball kits.

So, how did this project come about, and what was the inspiration behind it all?

“I came across Jemilla’s label, Ur So Cool, through the club’s community and instantly knew it was something special,” recalls Pepe. “I reached out to her on Instagram, and soon after, we were already having our first coffee. The brand captures the vibe of the neighbourhood and nails the spirit of the times with its design.”

He explains how Jemilla and her brand have connected deeply with the St. Pauli district:
“In no time, Jemilla – through her personality and the brand’s style – built a unique connection with the district outside the mainstream, creating a sense of belonging that people now proudly wear. The values behind Ur So Cool are the same ones we share as a team and as individuals. You couldn’t ask for a better fit.”

“It’s a super authentic brand. Jemilla is open, curious, relaxed, and professional in every step. With Ur So Cool, we’re hitting the bullseye once again – dropping a jersey that’s way more than just a piece of fabric.”

For Jemilla, the collaboration came about quite naturally. “Pepe just asked me!” she laughs. “We had been in touch previously, as Pepe is a talented football culture photographer and brought some of his prints to a local pop-up I was having for my brand. He has been involved with the St. Pauli Handball 1. Männer / FC St. Pauli Handball 1st Men’s Team for a long time as both a player and a coach, and he’s also responsible for having the kits made each season. They often ask local artists to design something – a local graffiti artist, Bobby Serrano, had done the previous season’s.”

“Pepe said if I was interested, I could basically design them however I wanted. It sounded like the perfect creative passion project, so I was in.”

With complete creative freedom, Jemilla’s imagination ran wild. “The inspiration for the designs was a combination of everything I love and am inspired by. At first, my mind was in total overdrive – pink, flames, checkerboard, retro jerseys, long sleeve, animal print, music influences, clashing colours… it was very exciting and slightly overwhelming, but I think I managed to squeeze in almost everything!”

She describes the process with infectious enthusiasm:
“The Flame GK jersey was the first one I came up with. I was inspired by the classic and legendary Japan 1998 goalkeeper kit – I think that’s actually the coolest jersey ever made, and could easily be rock band merch. So I took the flame vibes and mixed them with a Fontaines DC (a favourite band of mine) inspired colour palette, and the green-pink long sleeve flame baby was born.

The home kit was inspired by my love of checkerboard, which I use in a lot of my designs and is, of course, a classic kit staple pattern. I put my own spin on it with a slight swirly distortion, and a kind of but not really Dalmatian/stippled pattern fill – an experimental accident that I decided was cooler than my original idea. The colour palette is a nod to the team’s classic past colourways.

“And then I was left with one more long-sleeve GK option to design, so I went with a more-is-more, bold, and clashy all-over leopard pattern. Another punk music-inspired look, different to the other two designs, ticking my leftover animal print box and adding extra pink – because who doesn’t love pink?”

“The home kit was inspired by my love of checkerboard, which I use in a lot of my designs and is, of course, a classic kit staple pattern. I put my own spin on it with a slight swirly distortion, and a kind-of-but-not-really Dalmatian/stippled pattern fill – an experimental accident that I decided was cooler than my original idea. The colour palette is a nod to the team’s classic past colourways.

Seeing the designs come to life was just as exciting for Jemilla. “It was super easy and fun! A few to-and-fros about technical stuff, but we both agreed on the designs and the team also loved them, so it was pretty straightforward. I couldn’t wait to see the first samples – it felt like Christmas!

“I get the same feeling when picking up developed film photos. Is it going to look how I imagined, or totally off the mark? Luckily, they were almost exactly as I hoped. A few tweaks, and the second samples were perfect.”.

When it comes to handball itself, Pepe explains the thriving scene in Hamburg. “Hamburg is truly a handball city – the scene is large, diverse, and stretches from neighbourhood clubs focusing on grassroots development to professional top-tier teams. Across the city, smaller and mid-sized clubs bring children, young people, and adults into the sport, ensuring handball has a broad foundation.

“This diversity keeps handball culture vibrant and ensures that it’s much more than just Bundesliga headlines. Two clubs stand out most: HSV Hamburg (HSVH) and FC St. Pauli Handball. HSVH is the city’s largest and most successful club, with Bundesliga-level competition and thousands of fans filling the Barclays Arena.

“FC St. Pauli Handball 1. Männer / FC St. Pauli Handball 1st Men’s Team, on the other hand, is smaller and may appear like an underdog at first glance, but it’s carved out a strong identity through its rebellious spirit, social engagement, and unconventional character. Reflecting the values of the wider St. Pauli club – diversity, openness, and solidarity – the handball section uses sport as a platform for community work and social responsibility.”

Pepe highlights one initiative in particular:
“This ethos is most clearly reflected in the creation of Never Play Alone – St. Pauli e.V., a non-profit organisation founded in 2018 directly out of the men’s first team of the handball section. What started as a season-ending trip to Rwanda evolved into a sustainable project that now builds wells, equips sports facilities, and organises coach training – giving children and young people in the Global South access to sport, education, and participation.

“The initiative embodies St. Pauli’s belief that handball should not only be played, but also used as a tool for solidarity and positive change.”

He adds, “Together, Hamburg’s handball scene shows two very different faces of the sport: on one side, the big, performance-driven HSVH, and on the other, St. Pauli Handball – the rebellious underdog making an impact far beyond the court through social projects. Between them lies a broad network of local clubs that ensure variety, grassroots growth, and a deeply rooted handball culture that makes Hamburg one of Europe’s most vibrant handball cities.”.

As for Jemilla, she’s now officially part of that culture. “I shall attend my first ever handball game this year – now I have a team to support!” she says with a smile.

And could this be the start of more sporting collaborations? “I certainly hope so,” she adds.