Arsenal
will wear an adventurous new away kit this season and its eye-catching design
marks a new direction for Arsenal – it combines a rich purple base with black
hoops.
Taking
visual inspiration from high street fashion, the kit is on-trend and by using
such a regal colour in the year of the Diamond Jubilee celebrations, it also
honours the Club’s historical royal links.
The
Gunners were known as “Royal Arsenal” in the 1890s having been formed at the
Arsenal munitions factory in Woolwich, South London. Originally bearing the
name “Dial Square” after one of the factory's workshops, the founding fathers
decided to merge the name of a pub they met in - Royal Oak - with their place
of work.
The
red trim on the shirt cuffs compliment the purple body and pay homage to the
home kits that are so identifiable with the Club, whilst the differing hoop
patterns on the body and the sleeves of the shirt give it a modern twist.
The
inner back neck graphic takes the form of the club’s motto, ‘Victoria Concordia
Crescit’, the Latin for ‘Victory Through Harmony’. Meanwhile, the outer back
neck graphic pays tribute to legendry manager Herbert Chapman’s innovative WM
formation.
The
purple and black hooped socks, bearing one red hoop each, again pay tribute to
Chapman’s legacy, as it was he who introduced hooped socks – he reasoned that
they would make it easier for his players to pick one another out on the pitch.
Whilst
the kit combines modern sport and youth style to give the club a striking new
look, Nike’s innovations give the team the most technologically advanced kit to
aid athlete comfort and performance.
The
new home kit is made from Nike’s ground-breaking recycled polyester, making it
Nike’s most environmentally friendly kit ever produced. Each kit (shirt and shorts) is made using up
to thirteen recycled plastic water bottles and this innovative manufacturing
process reduces energy consumption by up to 30% compared to manufacturing
traditional polyester. Since 2010 Nike has used an estimated 1115 million
recycled plastic bottles to create its high performance kits.
The
kits are made out of 23% lighter fabric with 20% stronger knit structure than
Nike’s previous kits and feature Nike Dri-FIT technology to wick moisture away
from athletes to help keep them cool and dry on-pitch.
Kits
have bonded re-enforced T-bar junctions that support critical seams on the
shirt and shorts and inner welded seams with a flat finish construction to
improve comfort and performance.
Temperature regulation is helped by ventilation zones, consisting of a
series of tiny laser cut holes from the under arms to the waistband, allowing
air to circulate and keep players comfortable.
Nike
Pro Combat base-layers are used by athletes to compliment playing kits, further
enhancing comfort and increasing protection from injury. Meanwhile both fans
and players can enjoy Nike’s Arsenal Sportswear collection off the pitch, a
collection inspired by the Club’s heritage.
The
kit and extended line is available for pre-order from www.arsenaldirect.com and will be
available in stores on 9th August 2012.