Defying the conventional approach to shirt design, PUMA have unveiled the 21/22 third shirts for 10 of their top European clubs. The new looks rip away tradition for a stripped back approach for AC Milan, Manchester City, Valencia C.F, Borussia Mönchengladbach, Olympique de Marseille, Stade Rennais F.C., Shakhtar Donetsk, Fenerbahçe, Krasnodar and PSV Eindhoven.
PUMA have been stepping away from the rules of traditional shirt design recently, presenting stripped back designs for national teams such as Italy, Austria, Switzerland and the Czech Republic at Euro 2020. Now they take that radical approach onto the club scene, unveiling third shirts for the 21/22 season that reinterpret the iconic identities of 10 of their top European clubs. Those clubs include AC Milan, Manchester City, Valencia C.F, Borussia Mönchengladbach, Olympique de Marseille, Stade Rennais F.C., Shakhtar Donetsk, Fenerbahçe, Krasnodar and PSV Eindhoven.
On each jersey the club’s badge has been repositioned and placed on the back of the jersey beneath the collar. Select jerseys complement this with an innovative use of the club’s crest as a tonal repeat graphic embossed into the fabric of the jerseys. The most eye-catching feature of the jerseys is the central placement of the club’s name, emblazoned across the front of the jersey in each clubs’ bespoke font, with the PUMA branding and sponsors also centrally positioned to add balance to the visionary design.
The new Third shirts create fresh new expressions of each club’s identity and challenge tradition by reimagining conventional football kits in a brand-new approach that merges football and streetwear culture.It's sure to be a controversial move, but it's also undoubtedly brave. While some will not favour the look, it could well mark a shift in design going forward, showing that you don't have to stick to the traditional mould. It's a display of thinking outside the box, and it treads fresh ground upon which others may well now follow. While we all fear change, could this be a spark that will be looked back upon in the future as a defining moment for a new era?
To launch the bold new re-interpretations of the clubs’ Third kits, PUMA presented ‘The Show’ hosted by renowned football journalist Kelly Somers. The show also featured special appearances from the clubs’ star players including Olivier Giroud, Fernandinho, Dimitri Payet, Esme Morgan, Laura Giuliani, Yunus Musah, and many more.
“Our aim was to challenge traditional football jersey design. We wanted to look at the kits through a new lens and push the boundaries as far as possible. It is easy to play safe, but we want to change perceptions of a conventional football jersey”, said Carl Tuffley, Senior Head of Design Manager Teamsport. “The Third kits are an opportunity to be bold, so we wanted to reenergize these jerseys and take a new direction. To mark this special multi-kit launch, we also wanted to unveil all 10 kits in an innovative way by giving fans exclusive content, access to star players of the clubs and win jerseys all in one show.”
The new Third jerseys combine 100 percent recycled polyester with advanced PUMA dryCELL thermoregulation technology to ensure uncompromising fit and mobility, keeping athletes dry and comfortable. The jersey integrates an ultra-light jacquard structure into the back of the jersey to enhance breathability during intense performance. PUMA has also utilised an innovative Dope Dye manufacturing process to drastically reduce the amount of water and dye used during production, to further their goals of creating more sustainable products.
Shop the PUMA 21/22 third shirts at prodirectsoccer.com
