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After 26 years of minimal updates to the team’s uniforms, the Ravens unveiled an entire new collection Thursday night, featuring new helmets, a new colorway and new raven-inspired collars.

Was “The Next Flight” worth the wait? Fans seem to think so.

And so do a handful of experts. The Banner collected reactions from five sports uniform enthusiasts and local fashion and design academics Friday. Here’s what stood out to them about the Ravens’ new looks.

Cameron Guzzo, sports uniform guru

“On first glance, the update to the Baltimore Ravens uniforms feels pretty subtle. It’s not a drastic overhaul, and that’s honestly a good thing. The Ravens already had one of the more recognizable looks in the NFL.

“Where this redesign really stands out is in the details. The wing pattern integrated around the collar is a really smart nod to the team’s identity without being overbearing, and the metallic outline on the numbers adds just enough depth to make them pop under the lights. I’m also a big fan of the metallic gold accents to the purple alternate. They elevate the overall look without straying from the Ravens’ core color palette.

“And the all-black ‘Darkness’ helmet is a standout. It leans into the team’s persona in a way that feels modern but still authentic to what the Ravens have built over time.

“Overall, it’s a really cohesive update. They didn’t try to reinvent the wheel, they just refined it, and in this case, that was absolutely the right call.”

Zach Cohen, FanDuel content creator and sports uniform guru

“Man, these look so good, so sharp. Still stayed true to the brand. Not massive changes, but man, those iridescent accents, the new black matte alternate helmet, and then the Ravens’ ‘Purple Rising’ jersey looking a little bit more like that old number font — I thought the Ravens knocked this out of the park.”

Min Cheung, artist-in-residence in fashion design at Stevenson University

“The new Ravens 2026 uniforms are an interesting take on retro. The colors are evenly distributed between the home and away uniforms and leave a lot to be desired. Swapping the tops and the bottoms is a simple fix and not very elegant. The alternate uniforms have some interesting features, such as the yellow numbers, but the overall typeface of the numbers is flat and adds to a cartoonishness to the uniforms. I was overall excited for more after waiting 26 years.”

Victoria Pass, Maryland Institute College of Art professor of fashion history

“I think it seems to me like they leaned into what was already kind of working in their uniforms. And I am biased. I’m wearing my Ravens purple. Purple is my favorite color. ... And I have always loved the connection to Edgar Allan Poe. I think that’s a really unique team name that’s really connected to Baltimore, and to have a team named for a poem, it’s really so Baltimore to me.

“So I’m glad that they’ve kind of kept a lot of those aspects of the uniforms. And I think they’ve also made them very modern. I noticed, kind of looking at other NFL uniforms, a lot of them have retro details. They tend to have details that have been the same throughout, like plain racing stripes and numbers that sort of are throwbacks to earlier years.

“And I think the Ravens seem like they’ve always been like a little bit sleeker, a little bit more modern than that. And I think these uniforms just kind of level up that forward-looking design aspect of their look.”

Dr. Bridgett Clinton-Scott, professor in University of Maryland Eastern Shore’s fashion merchandising and design program

“The color is very vibrant. I haven’t seen it in person, but I like it. It’s a modern, trendy look. ... [The ‘Midnight Purple’] almost gives a reflective look, and it has more depth to it.

“I think overall, without inspecting the garment in person, a vibrant iridescent color is really what makes it pop, really what makes it stand out and what makes it different from the previous uniforms.”