German sportswear giant adidas reunited with Manchester United this week to launch a home kit for the 2015/16 season inspired by former glories. Taking to the club's Carrington training ground, iconic Old Trafford stadium and a location in Manchester's trendy Northern Quarter, the two behemothic soccer institutions came back together in typically stylish and understated fashion.
Inspired by both the iconic home jersey from the 1982-83 season, and the eye-catching and divisive away kits from the early 1990s, the new shirt has a classic adidas aesthetic whilst being endowed with the brand's latest in sporting technology. A perfect blend of old and new for a resurgent club rebuilding after the turmoil of David Moyes' reign in charge. Oliver Nicklish from adidas'product management department was on hand to shed some light on the development of adi's relationship with Manchester United, the inspiration behind the new kit and what the future holds for the two giants of the game.
"Usually the design process starts at 22-23 months before the actual launch" explained Nicklish, "with this kit we started a little bit later than usual because of the contract negotiations. Our designer is a Manchester United fan though and this makes the process a lot easier. For us and the club, it's a big deal. The two biggest football brands out there, Manchester United and adidas are reunited."
"For us and the club, it's a big deal. The two biggest football brands out there, Manchester United and adidas are re-united."
The contract negotiations that Nicklish speaks of resulted in adidas snatching the English club away from a 13-year-long association with Nike and penning a deal reportedly worth upwards of £70 million-a-year (approximately $110 million USD), an expensive move that will see the brand attempting to satisfy Manchester United fans with a thirst for retro and sentiment.
"In the end we want to bring out a kit that satisfies the fans, as well as the players and the club. We looked at the past kits, really iconic jerseys that we have done with United. One, was the from 1982 and 83. An iconic kit with a white v-neck, and white cuffs. It's a classic jersey. It's the epitome of adidas and Manchester United in the '80s. The second, which influences the debossed effect you see, is the away kit from 1990-92. The love-hate kit. Fans couldn't make their mind up whether they liked it or not, the graphic became very iconic and memorable nevertheless."
"We want to bring out a kit that satisfies the fans, as well as the players and the club."
As with all sports releases, the focus couldn't simply be on aesthetic and pulling the heartstrings of those who remember the decidedly average Ron Atkinson team of the early 1980s however. "The players jersey has adiZero technology" adds Nicklish, "it's approximately three times lighter than the replicas that the fans will wear. We always want to keep the latest technologies in our kits and this is part of the reason we design so far in advance. For example, next week we will be looking to work with the club to sign off on the designs for the 2016/17 season."
With another expensive German acquisition in the form of Bastian Schweinsteiger joining the ranks, a refocused squad and a fuschia-faced manager prone to the odd avant-garde outburst, Manchester United are starting to look a lot like their old selves. Whatever happens on the pitch in the coming weeks and months remains to be seen, but adidas have ensured that they will at least look the part.
To purchase the new adidas Manchester United 2015-16 kit head here.
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