Paying homage to the legendary music and culture scene in early 90s known as ‘Madchester’, adidas and Manchester United have revealed a collaborative collection with one of the city’s most revered bands, The Stone Roses.
‘Madchester’ was the generation-defining indie-dance scene that took the world by storm and put Manchester on the map in a big way, and a key influence to come out of the city in that period was The Stone Roses. The band has become synonymous with Manchester United over the years with their song, This is the One, becoming the walk-out music for games at Old Trafford since the early 2000s. So, following on from their collaborative collection with Peter Saville last October, it makes sense that Adidas are pairing the Premier League side up with the iconic band.
This is the One first featured on the self-titled 1989 album The Stone Roses, and so it’s from the record’s eye-catching cover art that adidas have turned for inspiration for the new collection.
The hero of the collection is the Manchester United x Stone Roses Originals Icon Jersey, which blends the bold, unmistakable backdrop of guitarist John Squire’s artwork with a timeless Originals look. Several other details on the jersey are drawn directly from the album cover, from the red, white and blue of the adidas three stripes on the sleeve, to the gold lettering of ‘The Stone Roses’ on the inside of the collar. The Manchester United crest is also adapted to include the words ‘This is the One’ on the lower segment and two lemon slices in place of footballs on either side. The look is complete with the signature adidas Trefoil in red.
The collection will feature on-pitch through the pre-match jersey and reversible anthem jacket, both set to be worn by the Manchester United men’s team players before they face Aston Villa away on 10 February, and by the women’s team away at Southampton on 11 February.
The jersey features a grayscale version of the Stone Roses album artwork, with the adidas performance logo, Manchester United badge and official sponsor all in striking gold to match the lettering featured on The Stone Roses’ first album cover.
Meanwhile, the lifestyle side of the collection also features a black tracksuit and black shorts, both adorned with the red, white and blue three stripes, the adapted Manchester United badge and the famous Stone Roses lemons. The collection is completed with a long-sleeve t-shirt, scarf and, of course, bucket hat.
Inigo Turner, Design Director at adidas, said “For many fans that remember watching the famous class of ‘92, The Stone Roses music is probably the soundtrack playing in their heads. Both the team and the band represented global youth movements that had Manchester at their heart. We’re excited to celebrate that relationship through this collection, which represents the beautiful fusion of Northern England football and musical culture.”
James Holroyd, Chief Commercial Development Officer, Manchester United said, “The Stone Roses is a band that is deeply knitted into the unique Manchester United fan culture both locally and globally. This collection is the perfect way to recognise our joint histories in a way that connects with both older fans and the new generation of supporters.”
Shop the adidas Manchester United x Stone Roses collection at prodirectsport.com/soccer
