In 1966 Bobby Moore hoisted the World Cup to a jubulant crowd at Wembley Stadium. That day, he wore red, but in the quarterfinals, the England Squad had been dressed in full white. Aitor Throup built the new England kit from this look, the heritage of UMBRO, and the notion of fusing traditional tailoring with a forward thinking of the athletes needs.
“I wasn’t inspired by a specific kit as such, but by the constructional details of specific features, such as the tailored collar on the early football kits.”
Today, as England takes on Slovakia in a friendly at the new Wembley, Capelo’s men will march to to the field in Throup’s creation. Fashion meets performance, and most importantly works to restore pride in the Three Lions shirt. Throup’s quest was to form a kit that players and fans alike viewed positively–something that related to strong traditions of manufacture and footballing glory.
“It’s about using the idea of style as a tangible performance enhancer. Something they can put on and feel smart, feel confident.”
In a time where the football shirt, with frequently changing sponsorships, has become largely ephemeral, UMBRO produces a shirt with potential as a new heritage item. A shirt that can be passed down through the generations. An item that can be worn without concern of looking out-of-date while hopefully improving the chances of winning a penalty shootout.
Enjoy our look at the new kit and check soon for our full interview with Aitor Throup.
More views of the New UMBRO England National Team Jersey after the jump.
