Knobby x R-Willy: Ace
by Carolaine Ang
Some people play the hand they’re dealt. Ryan Williams rewrites the deck.
Introducing ACE, a collaboration between Knobby and one of the most progressive action sports athletes on the planet, Ryan “R-Willy” Williams.
Built around speed, progression, risk and the relentless pursuit of what hasn’t been done before, ACE brings Ryan’s world into a Knobby design loaded with personal details, hidden extras and one seriously special piece of tech.
And, appropriately, there’s an ace up its sleeve.
Meet R-Willy
Ryan Williams has built a career around a simple idea: what if it is possible?
The Australian BMX and scooter athlete has become known for pushing action sports forward, constantly experimenting, progressing and landing tricks that once seemed impossible.
But behind the huge tricks is an obsession with creativity.
Ryan doesn’t just want to do things better. He wants to do things differently.
That shared mentality made this collaboration a natural fit. Knobby and Ryan came together to rethink what a pair of underwear could be — not just in how it looks, but in the experience hidden inside it.
The Story Behind ACE
At first glance, ACE is a dark, detailed collision of playing cards, chains, custom illustration and R-Willy iconography.
Look closer and it gets personal.
The Ace of Spades runs throughout the artwork as a nod to Ryan's son, Ace, transforming the classic playing-card motif into something with a much bigger meaning.
The design also pays homage to Ryan's career and achievements, with silver detailing and ACE branding woven into the waistband, subtle references to the medals, hardware and milestones collected through years of pushing his sport forward.
Monochrome. Metallic. Detailed.
A design made for someone who doesn't exactly do ordinary.
Designed by Phillip Ramskill
Bringing the concept to life was Phillip Ramskill, aka @philustrations.
A self-described pixel pusher for the pants revolution, Phil created ACE as an intricate visual world rather than simply another repeat print.
Playing cards tumble through heavy chains. Hidden skulls and R-Willy details sit beneath the surface. The custom Ace artwork takes centre stage, bringing Ryan's story, personality and unmistakable aesthetic together.
The result feels part playing card, part trophy, part action-sports artwork.
And entirely Knobby.
The Underwear Has a Secret
This is where things get interesting.
ACE bottoms feature an NFC chip built into the underwear.
Tap your phone against the NFC-enabled area and your pair becomes the key to an exclusive digital experience created for the collaboration.
No QR code to hunt down. No password printed on a card.
Tap the underwear. Unlock the experience.
Inside you'll find extra ACE content — including access to an exclusive world-first Ryan Williams trick that can only be unlocked through the product.
Yep.
We put exclusive action-sports content inside a pair of undies.
How it works
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Grab your NFC-enabled ACE bottoms.
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Hold your NFC-compatible phone near the chip.
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Tap the prompt that appears.
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Unlock the exclusive ACE experience.
The experience continues beyond the stitch.
Two Ways to Wear ACE
ACE lands across two of Knobby's premium fabric experiences.
Performance
Made for movement.
Our Performance fabric delivers the technical comfort Knobby customers know and love, designed for everything from everyday wear to sending it considerably harder than your mum would recommend.
Tencel Luxe
For those who prefer things ridiculously smooth.
Tencel Luxe brings a softer, elevated feel to ACE while keeping all that unmistakable R-Willy attitude on the outside.
Different feel. Same hand.
More Than a Print
ACE isn't Ryan Williams' name slapped onto a pair of underwear.
It's a collaboration built from his world.
His career.
His progression.
His family.
His achievements.
His obsession with doing what hasn't been done before.
From the custom Ace playing card to the silver waistband details and the NFC experience hidden inside the bottoms, every element has a reason for being there.
Because when you're collaborating with someone whose career is built around rethinking what's possible, making just another pair of undies wasn't really an option.
Knobby x Ryan Williams.
ACE.
Tap in. Turn it up. See what happens next.