THE INTENTION

Bringing motorsport grit to the heart of streetwear culture is more than a product design challenge — it is building a full-blown immersive experience. For ComplexCon Las Vegas 2025, this meant turning birb., the emerging entertainment IP known for its distinctive digital characters, into a physical, interactive experience — all while integrating Hiroya Minowa’s Formula Drift-winning car as a dramatic centerpiece.

“We’re creating an activation where the UPRISERS and the birb. universes come to life together. The drift car adds energy, but the story is really about the FLIGHT of our community (digital or IRL) — their distinctive characters, their culture and their community.”
— Michelle K. Hanabusa, Founder of UPRISERS

The UPRISERS x birb. booth bridges digital and physical worlds — an immersive showcase of motion, material, and design philosophy. From mirrors magnifying the car’s exclusive wrap to interactive displays that connect fashion with movement, every detail reflects an ecosystem built around creative vision.

“This project is about speed, style, and vision — connecting cultures from Tokyo to LA to web3 and beyond through the things we live and breathe.”
— Michelle K. Hanabusa, founder and Creative Director of UPRISERS.

 

DESIGNING THE UPCYCLED LEATHER JACKET

At the heart of the collaboration lies the limited-edition, handcrafted leather race jacket — a statement piece designed to embody speed, precision, and individuality. Only ten units were created, each handcrafted from discarded premium leather yardage sourced from high-fashion houses.

“The jacket had to maintain UPRISERS’ identity while honoring birb.’s branding,” shares the UPRISERS LAB team. “We used a mix of bespoke patchwork and oversized leather logo appliqués — it needed to feel handcrafted yet cohesive.”

Each jacket carries its own unique texture and construction, featuring oversized appliqués, layered stitching, and a relaxed fit that channels both drift energy and UPRISERS’ approach to community-driven design. The finished piece feels alive — part collectible, part armor.

“The jacket had to embody the energy and personality of the birb. while still feeling grounded in streetwear.”

THE CHALLENGE

The path from concept to creation came with challenges that tested every facet of the UPRISERS LAB’s production process:

• Material Sourcing: Finding premium, upcycled leather that could withstand detailed patchwork and structural balance.
  

• Design Translation: Communicating the essence of birb.’s digital identity to a production team accustomed to traditional garment construction.
  

• Quality Control: Ensuring consistent quality across all 10 handcrafted jackets while embracing the individuality of upcycled materials.
  

The process was iterative — prototypes were tested, adjusted, and reworked to preserve both form and flexibility. 

The result? A design that proves how creative constraints can inspire innovation, merging sustainability with motion and emotion.

COMPLETING THE birb. COLLECTION

The capsule goes beyond the jacket to capture the collaboration’s layered vision:

• UPRISERS LAB x birb. Tee: A puff-printed, stacked-logo tee that nods to Formula racing uniforms and streetwear classics.
  

• UPRISERS LAB x birb. Necklace Collectibles: Silver-plated chains with hard enamel charms representing birb. characters — including UPRISERS’ own Ten-Ten.
  

• UPRISERS LAB x birb. Scented Car Fresheners: Playful collectibles featuring birb. icons and Ten-Ten, available exclusively at ComplexCon Las Vegas.
  

The booth experience invites fans to explore the jackets up close, interact with the characters, and immerse themselves in a world where drift meets design.

FROM LAS VEGAS AND BACK TO DIGITAL SPACE

Following its ComplexCon debut, the collaboration will live online — giving fans around the world access to shop the capsule and engage with the birb. universe.

“This isn’t just fashion,” Michelle explains. “Each piece represents a bridge between design philosophy and community — it’s about how creativity connects us, both on and off the track.”

ABOUT THE COLLABORATION

The UPRISERS x birb. partnership merges the precision of motorsport with the evolution of digital culture. With Hiroya Minowa’s record-breaking drift car anchoring the booth, the collaboration embodies motion — from the track to the street, and from the digital space to physical form.

Rooted in upcycled craftsmanship and creative design, the leather jacket stands as a symbol of transformation — where legacy materials and future-forward imagination collide to create something timeless.

 

Have a Radical Day!