England
and Nike unveiled new home and away kits for 2014, revealing designs that focus
on English football history and culture, and carry the best in performance
innovation.
“Designing
the kits for the country that invented the game was a real honor for our design
team," said Martin Lotti, Nike
Football Global Creative Director. "We wanted to pay homage to key moments
in England’s proud footballing history.”
ENGLAND
HOME KIT
The
new England home jersey is a pure and brilliant white with an engineered
pinstripe in the fabric. White satin tape on the shoulders gives the jersey a
distinctive shine.
“Two
references really stood out during the design process for the home kit – that
stunning all-white kit England wore in Mexico in 1970 and the idea of the armour
of English Knights,” said Lotti.
“You
can see subtle references to the armour in the pinstripe, which carries a hint
of shine, and in the white satin tape on the shoulders. We wanted to add some
small detail that echoed the glow of the armour worn by St. George,” added Lotti.
The
famous three lions crest has a metallic weave to create another shimmering
effect, most noticable when the crest catches the light.
Inside
the back of the neck is a pennant tab with a graphic of silver pinstripes that
together create a St. George’s cross.
The
jersey has a modern V-neck collar, which is both functional and styled for
sport.
The
1970 inspiration can be seen in the full kit. The new shorts are classic white
with a satin white tape along each side to create the same distinctive shine as
the shoulders of the shirt.
The
fit of the shorts is slimmer and more tailored to the body, based on fit
research and specifically cut to aid movement and comfort. The central back
section of the shorts features Nike’s signature laser vents to aid in cooling
and allow for moisture management. The new home socks are also white.
England
player Wayne Rooney, said: "I'm always proud to put on the England kit and
with these ones it'll be no different. I can't wait to get out to Brasil and
play in them this summer.”
Nike
has also collaborated with renowned English typographer Neville Brody to create
a new font for the names and numbers on the back of this England jersey.
“It
has been an extraordinary honour to design the fonts for the English jersey,”
said Brody. “The core inspiration was to focus on the intersection between
flair and workmanlike reliability. Small touches emphasise the idea of
innovation, invention and surprise, built around a more geometric structure.
The industrialised suggestion of a stencil was simultaneously based on a
pinstripe motif, combining style with no-frills efficiency.”
The
classic new England away kit celebrates the team’s history and showcases the
most evocative national symbols in an innovative new fashion.
“The
red jersey has been an icon since England won the World Cup wearing it in
1966,” said Lotti. “As they prepare to
compete this summer, we wanted to pay tribute to their storied history while
updating the kit with several contemporary design details.”
The
new England away jersey features a bold red tonal pinstripe design subtly
infused with a graphic interpretation of St. George’s cross on the front. The
St. George’s cross, representing the English patron saint, is an optical
illusion and cannot be seen up close, coming into focus only from a distance.
The
jersey boasts a unique neckline with a subtle collar design. The front panel
goes all the way to the top of the jersey to render the St. George’s cross as
large as possible. Ribbing completes the collar around the back of the neck.
The
iconic England crest features a satin weave base with embroidered lions to
create a lustrous effect. The base uses a bright white with an optical
brightener to further enhance its whiteness, making the lions come alive under
UV light.
Inside
the back of the neck, consistent with the home jersey is a pennant tab, this
time with a graphic of red pinstripes that together create a subtle St.
George’s cross.
The
shorts are white with a red tape along each side, and the away socks are
red.
Both
the home and away kits will be worn this summer in Brasil. The new home kit
will debut on-pitch in the friendly game with Peru at Wembley on May 30.
ULTIMATE
IN COOLING AND COMFORT
The
kit aids performance by helping regulate player body temperature over the
course of a match. By using a combination of Nike Dri-FIT technology, mesh
panels and laser-cut ventilation holes, designers are able to localize cooling
where players need it most.
Nike
Dri-FIT technology pulls moisture away from the skin to the outside of the
garment where it evaporates quickly. Laser-cut ventilation holes and engineered
mesh in key areas allow for increased breathability and airflow across the
skin.
“By
managing sweat and keeping the body cooler longer, players feel more
comfortable, sweat less and perform better,” said Lotti.
In
addition to helping players stay cool, the kit is made with a new dual-knit
fabrication that incorporates cotton and recycled polyester for the best in
moisture-wicking properties, while adding a softer feel and more flattering
shape.
In
line with Nike’s commitment to superior performance with lower environmental
impact, the shirt, short — and for the first time in a national team kit, the
socks — all feature fabric made from recycled plastic bottles (100 percent
recycled polyester in the shorts, 96 percent recycled polyester in the shirt
and 78 percent in the socks). Each kit is made using an average of 18 recycled
plastic bottles. Since 2010, Nike has diverted almost two billion bottles from
landfills, enough to cover more than 2,800 full-sized football pitches.
“Incorporating
environmental sustainability is a key part of the design and development process
for us,” said Lotti. “Our aim is to create a kit that performs for players and
is good to the planet.”
PERFECT
FIT
Designers
utilized three-dimensional body scans of elite footballers to collect data on
the form of today’s players and identify an updated fit, improving comfort and
allowing the body to move more naturally within the kit.
While
looking at every element of the modern football kit, Nike designers even paid
special attention to the kits’ socks. Combining athlete insights and research
with new materials and fabrications, the Nike Elite Match Fit sock for 2014
features a sleeker fit specific to football. Strategically cushioned zones
provide comfort and protection at the big toe and anklebones where the majority
of impact occurs, while arch support locks down the foot to help prevent
slipping. Material was also eliminated to enhance touch and decrease bulk, and
flex grooves were added to the ankle and the top of the foot to prevent
bunching.
NIKE
PRO BASELAYER
The
new Nike Pro baselayer is the lightest ever from Nike and features increased
venting and breathability.
Players
have a variety of Nike Pro baselayer styles for players to choose from. These
are designed for the varying temperatures and conditions athletes will
encounter in Brasil, which are expected to vary from high heat during mid-day
matches, to much colder temperatures in the southern match locations during
evening games.
Nike
has redesigned its baselayer short for 2014 taking insights directly from some
of the best players in the world.
“When
we asked players to talk about the kind of protection they need during a match,
they showed us scars and abrasions on their upper-back hip area from sliding,”
recalled Lotti. “Several players showed us these same injuries so we set out to
add more protection, while balancing the need for lightweight breathability.”
The
result is the Nike Pro Combat Ultralight Slider Short. Featuring increased and
adjusted abrasion protection zones to match the athlete’s sliding pattern, the
short is also 20 percent lighter than previous versions and made with 87
percent recycled polyester. Weight was eliminated through the addition of mesh
for increased breathability and cooling where the athlete generates heat.
+ comments + 1 comments
Hi greeat reading your blog