FOOTBALL STRIP CONCEPTS
2015
Vol 4
Barefoot goalie! Street football Botafogo, Rio de Janeiro
FOOTBALL STRIP CONCEPTS vOLUME 4
Ecuador to Brazil 01/11/14 - 14/03/15 Stadiums visited “La Casa Blanca” Estadio de Liga Deportiva Universitaria, Quito, Ecuador
La Bombonera, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Estadio Alejandro Serrano Aguilar, Cuenca, Ecuador
Pacaembu Stadium, São Paulo, Brazil
Estadio Libertador Simón Bolivar, Cochabamba, Bolivia Estadio Jesús Bermúdez, Oruro, Bolivia Estadio Monumental, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Estádio do Maracanã, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
INTRODUCTION The football shirt is a truly unique thing, it combines all of the traditional elements of graphic design: logo’s, typography, patterns, colours and it also acts as a very lucrative advertising space to display the eye-catching sponsors’ logo, which becomes the centrepiece for the whole design. More often than not, it’s this detail that can make or break the whole design. A great sponsor can turn a simple design into an iconic one; a bad one, and you’ve ruined a potential classic shirt. Then there’s the other dimension to it, the tribal nature, which can unite two strangers from completely different backgrounds in their love for the same colours or result in “death threats” on social media. It’s a symbol of belonging, of pride and family. It’s really incredible what the football shirt can mean to people, especially as it’s an expensive garment which changes every year. In part it’s this factor which allows designs to enter football shirt folklore for different reasons, a design which wins a major honour becomes immortalised for all eternity, a crazy pattern will allow it to achieve cult status and a shirt that is associated with a relegation or an embarassing defeat will forever be tied to failure. Nowhere is the football shirt or colours more important and disputed than in South America (as I was to find out earlier this year). At the end of 2014 I decided to embark on a near five month trip to travel the continent that is so synonymous with the sport. The first half of this issue is dedicated to the six countries I visited, where I decided to redesign each national shirt based on nuggets of info I discovered along the way, or from cultural designs that I saw. Also included is a selection of the many football related photos I took, a few of which were as a spectator in some of the stadiums I visited. No matter the country, or how bad the football could be, the atmosphere was always electric, children from the age of three to grandmas of eighty were all in attendance, drawing breath at every strike and disputing every descision. During a River Plate game I discovered something much more impressive than football, the snack guys, who somehow managed to balance trays of soft drinks on their head in circus-like crowds and not drop one! It was in Bolivia however that I discovered how much football and the football shirt means to a nation. This project while travelling (and let’s not forget I’m just a concept designer) gained me world press which I could never dream about and even resulted in me being interviewed on a live political show in Bolivia - see page 15. The second half of this issue focuses on a selection of passion projects I worked on in 2015 including predicting the football strip of the future, and a project where my favourite fashion brands take to the field. To clarify, I am in no way affiliated to, nor represent, any of the clubs, brands, names or sponsors which appear in this publication, they are all used in the name of art.
ANGELO TROFA
2015
CONTENTS
7 ECUADOR 9 PERU 13 BOLIVIA
33 2025 FOOTBALL STRIP OF THE FUTURE 37 FOOTBALL VS FASHION: RICK OWENS
21 ARGENTINA
41 FOOTBALL VS FASHION: MISSONI
23 URUGUAY
47 8BY8 FC
25 BRAZIL
ECUADOR HOME
Taking a more simple approach to the over the top and cluttered designs Ecuador usually turn out in. The idea behind the design is a much more clean, simple and ultimatley classic aesthetic. The detail on the neckline comes from an awesome fact I found while travelling: the Panama hat actually originates from Ecuador.
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PERU HOME
This design for Peru is inspired by the collared shirts of the 1970s and 1980s. I wanted to create something more dynamic with a continuos stripe which wrapped around the body. I had in mind something which was simple, inspired by the past and yet modern, something which Umbro captures perfectly.
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PERU AWAY
An interesting piece of trivia I found is that the Peruvian flag colours came from the Andean Flamingo (Parihuana) which when flying looked red and white. It is said this is what inspired JosÊ San Martin to create the first Peruvian flag – which also features on the back of the collar.
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BOLIvIA WIPHALA AWAY
While traveling in Bolivia, I was intrigued by the double identity the country has. On one side you have the indigenous population which account for more than 50% and on the other, the white Spanish Bolivians. The 2006 election of Evo Morales gave more power back to the indigenous people, and even saw the colourful Whipala flag elevated to co-flag for the nation. It’s a pretty sore spot for many who refuse to identify with a flag which represents the indigenous population. I felt the home and away kits were a great way to showcase the two sides of the nation: home kit represents the more traditional Bolivia, the away represents indigenous Bolivia. If football can’t bring a country together then nothing can… right?
After posting the designs online, the idea got picked up by local papers, then national papers, then the news and then an interview on a primetime political TV show. Followed by hundreds of pretty strong worded comments on social media, resulting in the sports minister having to issue a statement. Upon my return the story was picked up by the BBC who propelled it worldwide. In a brilliant turn of events, for the first time ever the Copa América de los Pueblos Indígenas was played out in Chile this summer. A tournament that gave a chance to all the indigenous players to represent their countries. The main reason this tournament came up on my radar? Bolivia’s kit. Essentially my design was ripped off, but all the same, it was brilliant to see it come to life, and at the same time makes me proud the that the people I wanted to support decided this was the kit they wanted to play in to represent Bolivia.
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B
a
D
e
c
a – The Guardian B – Los Tiempos, La Paz, Bolivia c – Anti-Wiphala artwork, radioagriculture.cl D – Newspaper Article, El Deportivo, Bolivia e – Tribute artwork, Gonza Rodriguez f – Myself in Uyuni, December 2014 g – BBC News article, April 2015 H – News broadcast, Bolivia I – Headline, depor.pe (Peru)
g
f
H
I
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BOLIvIA HOME
Bolivia’s home jersey from 1993 was the reference for this design. My friend Luis, whose name adorns the back of both designs insisted on me re-working that design, “it’s the best ever”. Unorthodox red shorts and socks complete the design, inspired by the red and green mountains I saw on my trip from Cochabamba to the town of Uyuni.
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“Se Fudeu” Defaced World Cup 2014 mural Santa Teresa, Rio de Janeiro
ARGENTINA HOME
For La Albiceleste, I have always been fascinated at the idea of disconnected stripes. Here they would be placed within a plate at the front and back, with the main shirt becoming a lightweight netting allowing for maximum ventilation. Often opting for classic and traditional design, this is more of a play for a futuristic concept.
The three stripes would be placed along the side of the body in order to connect with the stripes on the shorts, which coincidentally are going to be used by adidas for next year’s designs. Futuristic Marcel Breuer inspired numbering would complete the design.
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URUGUAY HOME
Taking from the World Cup winning shirt of 1950, which also had red numbering, white collar and cuffs. A more understated approach to what PUMA have been creating for the national team in recent years. The four chest stripes come from the national flag.
The crest has also been given something of a facelift, with the many coloured outlines removed and the all white shield making for a much more streamlined and less cluttered crest. The four white stars are also placed outside the shield; seperating the two elements, and allowing the crest to breath.
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BRASIL HOME
Street art is rife in all of South America, but more so in Brazil, everything from music posters, street signs to protest paintings seem to have a movement and rhythm.
Brazil. It has the movement of the sea, the shape of the mountains, the layers of the favelas, to me it captured everything about life in Brazil. Hence why I felt I had to incorporate it into a kit design.
Upon arriving in Rio I was entranced by the mosaic walkways of Copacabana, by Roberto Burle Marx. For me as a pattern it symbolises everything about
The main way of Incorporating it into the design is via the white stipe on the shorts and also subtly on the socks.
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BRAZIL AWAY
The 1958 strip worn by Garrincha is a huge influence on this template, with its chunky collar and sleek design. Brazil can probably claim to have the most famous kit on the planet, so it naturally demands a lot of respect, for me the Seleção always look at their best in an understated and simple design.
The numbering is where I wanted to inject personality onto the kit. A combination of door numbers and street posters which use gradient colours were the main references for these numerals.
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¿Dónde están La 12? Boca Jrs 3 : 1 Olimpo - 15 FEB 2015 La Bombonera, Buenos Aires
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With the players of today also wearing two layers: a baselayer and then the actual strip on top, I feel that a design which brings the two layers into one will also emerge. Interestingly with the introduction of sock-like football boots which cover the ankle and players opting to cut their team stockings in order to wear more comfortable socks, the football sock is also evolving. Here the sock is disposed of, creating a legging, whereby the shorts and socks are merged, these would also provide a pocket to house the shin guards.
The main technological features for the jersey is a lightweight super-fitted jersey, which would have two thin “body-plates” on the front and the back, housing sponsors, team crests and player name and numbering. These plates would be bonded onto the front and back, in a similar fashion to the way manufacturers are now opting for stitch-free heat-bonded construction.
With the demands of footballers increasing all the time, I feel that the technology Nike used for the Turbo Speed Suit for runners will be implemented into a football kit allowing the players even less distractions and making them more streamlined than ever.
I was approached by SoccerBible to design my vision for the football kit of 10 years’ time, for Issue 3 of their magazine, titled Football Futures. This vision for the football kit of 2025 is something more along the lines of a Tron-like running suit being made by NASA.
2025 FOOTBALL STRIP
The geometric pattern adorning the front and back of the jersey are representative of the construction of the muscle. I liked the idea of mimicking futuristic body armour.
SHIN GUARD POCKETS
HEAT BONDING
PERFORATIONS
FLYWEIGHT JERSEY
FRONT BODY PLATE
CUFFS
SOFT ELASTICATED RIBBING
FLYWEIGHT FABRIC PANTS
BODY PLATE BONDING TO JERSEY
PERFORATIONS
BACK BODY PLATE
FASH I O N FOOTBALL
vS
Football vs Fashion: inspired by the Yohji Yamamoto RM kit collaboration, here is a new take on fashion walking out onto the football field. For the last decade we have seen street trends influencing designs on the pitch. This project takes two of my favourite brands, Rick Owens and Missoni and uses them to shape a football kit. Rick Owens’ signature silhouette is instantly recognisable, and given his collaboration with adidas, it’s only right to use the two brands together.
The collar is totally inspired by the first sneaker Owens designed for adidas. The rest designs itself, with the long torso jersey and drop-crotch shorts. With boots becoming socks, the tights act as the pockets for shin guards sliding into them. This also helps retain the look we often see associated with Owens, with leggings often worn beneath longer shorts. In order to maintain the adidas stripes I liked the way the Rick Owens label is often found on the back of the garment as two stripes, here a third stripe is added, a great way to show the signature stripes of the German brand.
Shorts and tights combination and knee ribbing. Signature Rick Owens.
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RICK OWENS BLACK
REAL MADRID WHITE 40
MISSONI PER LA NAZIONALE
PER LA NAZIONALE MADE IN ITALY
Missoni is one of Italy’s most iconic fashion houses (and a football fan too), its distinctive zig-zag pattern is instantly recognisable and has established the fashion house as one of the most important in the country’s history. The Azzurri have always looked best when the strips were simple, so it was an interesting challenge to give the strip the hallmarks of the Missoni brand. The zig-zag pattern had to be a focal point, therefore it was a case of using layers of blue to make up the design, this particular pattern has been built
up with many of the shades of blue Italy has worn since the 1930s. From the pale blue of the 1934 shirt to the deep blue of 1990. In keeping with a classic and elegant Italian look a return to the traditional shield on the chest as opposed to the bulky and less refined FIGC logo – ultimately the idea here is to inject Italian style onto the football field.
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ITALIA HOME & AWAY
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Fútbol en la República de la Boca La Boca, Buenos Aires
8 BY 8 FC
I was contacted by the guys over at one of my favourite magazines 8by8, to work on a crest for a potential 8by8FC, and also a strip concept for this hypothetical team. The magazine was of course the first reference point, it has a pretty loud layout, but at the same time is so slick and well designed I felt it would be wrong to go down a floral or neon pink route. I liked
the lines used within the logo, hence the pinstripes, but it needed an edge so the halved design with accents of red were added for spice. Eye-catching, distinctive and understated are a few of the words I wanted to hit with this design.
The Crest Eight by Eight’s existing logo was a huge reference point for the design here. The idea wasn’t to create something entirely new, more to allow a football crest to grow out of the existing logo.
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FUERZA SUR! Liga Fans Deportivo Cuenca 1 : 2 Liga de Quito - 19 NOV 2014 Estadio Alejandro Serrano Aguilar, Cuenca
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METEGOL! Leo Bianco v Adriel Piacquadio Bar football, ping pong, Billiards 24/7 CafĂŠ San Bernardo, Buenos Aires
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Metegol jugadores River Plate v Boca Juniors CafĂŠ San Bernardo, Buenos Aires
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Pennants The many club pennants of Uruguay The street, Montevideo
Special thanks to: Chris ‘Chilli’ Ciliberti Krishan Ghedia Siân Morgan Adriel & Roman Piacquadio Leo Bianco Kendra Sanders Luis Canedo Copyright © Angelo Trofa, 2015 All Rights Reserved Reproduction in whole or in part of this publication is strictly prohibited without prior permission from the designer including all logos, titles and graphic elements.
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