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Concept Kits: What are football concept kits?
A sport which has inspired passion and creativity for over a century, fans across the globe have always found new and interesting ways of bringing their love of football into other aspects of their lives. For some, this means taking part in games of fantasy football, building dream teams and trying out the title of football manager for a season. For others, this means gathering with family and friends to watch favourite teams play a big match. And, for the rare few, this has meant combining their love of football with the creative hobby of fashion design, allowing them to create a whole new form of self-expression: football concept kits.
A fun and creative way of taking a football hobby to the next level, concept kits have become more and more popular among the international football community. Over recent years, concept designers have even gained some level of online fame and influence, with fans of the game excitedly awaiting new designs and regularly calling for official kit designers to take note.
Whether you’re already a fan of concept football kits, or aren’t sure if they’re as good as officially released team kits, join us as we share all there is to know about concept kits, including the exact definition of what a football concept kit is, as well as the easiest way to get started on making your own designer football kits
What are concept kits?
One of the most exciting forms of self-expression within the world of football, concept kits are essentially unofficial, fan-made kits. The variety of football concept kits that exists on the internet is incredibly wide, with designers often choosing to create bold fantasy kits inspired by popular culture for imaginary teams, while others take a completely different approach by using patterns, colours and trends from high-fashion to create unique yet realistic-looking concept kits for real teams.
Whatever the inspiration behind them, concept kits have taken on a level of anticipation and buzz similar to that of official kit releases, with fans quick to share their love or hatred for designs online. After gaining such high levels of popularity, it’s no surprise that some concept kits have even been included in FIFA games, while others have gone onto influence official releases, with recurring trends such as bold colours and unique patterns finding their way into real team kits.
The best concept kits
With such a wide range of concept kits to choose from thanks to well-known concept designers and enthusiastic fans alike creating and sharing their portfolios online, picking out the best concept kits is no easy task. In our own list, we’ve stuck to some of the most classic designer football kit pairings, and have chosen SETTPACE’s Puma x Louis Vuitton Football Kit for Manchester City, Adidas x Gucci Juventus concept kit and xztals’ Nike x Alexander McQueen England football concept kit for our top three favourites.
Manchester City concept kit
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Bringing bright, bold colours to Manchester City, the Puma x Louis Vuitton concept kit by SETTPACE replaces the traditional muted tones of official kits with over-the-top vibrancy. Layered underneath this eye-catching orange-to-yellow fade is Louis Vuitton’s classic branded pattern which is instantly recognisable and helps make the concept kit feel even more unique - it’s no wonder fans loved this Man City concept kit so much.
Juventus concept kit
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Inspired by the show-stopping trends that feature on every Gucci runway, the Juventus concept kit by SETTPACE is a true work of art. Fashion and sport combined, the Gucci football kit features bold patterns and colours, such as the black-on-black colourway with gold detailing and all-over Gucci design. Smaller style details also pepper the design, with the designer lettering underneath the Adidas logo replaced with ‘Gucci’ as a nod to the fashion component, while the Adidas logo is merged into the famous Gucci design which makes up the majority of the jersey. Classy and dramatic at the same time, many fans have shared their interest in official designers taking some inspiration from this striking concept kit when working on their next season designs.
England concept kit
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Taking a different approach in his own re-imagining of the England kit, xztals’ designer concept kit takes its inspiration from a key creation of Alexander McQueen: the Hummingbird Rug. Featuring the famous birds across the entirety of the jersey, the unusual England concept kit is grounded by the more traditional accents such as classic branding on the chest and navy trims down the sides and around the neck and sleeves. Overall, the jersey is a thing of beauty, and one which was received very well by fans who prefer a more out-there design.
How do you create a concept kit?
It may come as no surprise that, as designing football concept kits is a heavily creative and individual process, there are countless different ways to approach your own design goals. Those just starting out might want to take on the easier creative route of tweaking existing designs, while others will prefer to dive straight into the deep end with a plain shirt and an idea. Which process suits you best will entirely depend on how you find your creative stride, but one method we’re particularly fond of is shared by both of our featured favourite concept designers: imaginary high-fashion collaborations.
Following the example set by concept kits creators SETTPACE and xztals, we can’t help but feel that focusing on designer patterns is one of the best ways to make striking, trend-worthy concept kits. Influenced by leading high-fashion brands such as Gucci, Louis Vuitton and Valentino, these concept designers have made a name for themselves by combining football and new-season fashion trends to create entirely unique concept kits that fans love - so why not try turning your own hand to their method?
Design your own football kit at Avec Sport
Whether you’re just looking for some concept football kit inspiration, or want to exert a little creative flair when designing your own grassroots team’s new kit, Avec Sport has a wide range of dynamic and classic base designs to choose from. Get started on designing your own real football kit by browsing through the collection of football team kits available online, before moving onto adding customisations such as your own team crest, sponsor logos and player personalisation.