No More Under Armour - Aston Villa Announce Innovative Three-Party Kit Deal
Apr 23, 2018, by Chris
Villa FC today announced an innovative new three-party technical kit partnership with Fanatics, a global leader in performance sport garments and menswear brand LUKE 1977. Aston Villa is first English team to adopt such a three-party agreement.
Fanatics previously only operated the online store of the club, while the jerseys were manufactured by Under Armour. Now the new Aston Villa jerseys will be managed by a single company from production to point-of-sale (the kits will only bear the logo of LUKE 1977).
Aston Villa Announce Three-Party Kit Deal With Fanatics & LUKE 1977
No financial details of the Aston Villa Fanatics deal have surfaced yet. Earlier this month the club announced a preliminary end to their partnership with existing suppliers Under Armour.
LUKE 1977 is a contemporary menswear fashion label with Birmingham engrained in its DNA. LUKE 1977 worked collaboratively with Aston Villa and Fanatics on the design element of the club’s 2018-19 kit. The design benefits from the input of lifelong Villa fan and LUKE 1977 owner Luke Roper.
Commenting on the announcement, Aston Villa’s Chief Commercial Officer, Luke Organ said, “Aston Villa Football Club is proud to pioneer an exciting new tripartite technical kit partnership. Traditional routes often leave the club lacking an element of creative input, we wanted to take back control of the look and feel of the strip for our fans.
We believe this partnership will further allow us to engage with the fans to a much greater extent than previously experienced with manufacturing partners."
Commenting on the announcement, LUKE 1977’s Creative Director, Luke Roper said, “As part of the pride and a lifelong Villa supporter, it is a huge honour to be asked to bring my 20 years of design experience to the creation of the new kits.
New kit partners: We’re proud to announce that @LukeRoper and Fanatics are #PartOfThePride 🦁🤝
— Aston Villa FC (@AVFCOfficial) April 23, 2018
#AVFC #LukeSport pic.twitter.com/YCpNDmXzQC
I have worked closely in collaboration with both Aston Villa and Fanatics, which demonstrates a fresh approach to design and a commitment to give more back to the supporters. Every time a Villa fan sees the kits, they will know that one of their own has been a part of the design process.”
Fanatics International Managing Director, Ed Boardman said: “As an existing partner, we recognise the passionate fan base that Villa has and we’re delighted to add our manufacturing expertise to this new and exciting partnership.
The design process was led by our Product Development team and overall, the new arrangement reflects a unique manufacturing model that offers collaborative opportunities for fashion-led brands such as Luke to enter this previously inaccessible sport.”
What do you think of this? let us know in the comments below.
Legia Warsaw Release First Adidas Originals Collection in Decades
Legia Warsaw and Adidas have officially launched an all-new Originals lifestyle collection, marking the club's first dedicated project under the iconic Trefoil banner in decades. The retro-infused streetwear range draws heavily on vintage terrace fashion and archival sportswear aesthetics.
Rendered in Legia's traditional palette of green, white, and black, the drop includes classic full-zip track jackets, hoodies, track pants, and t-shirts. Every piece is detailed with Adidas' signature Trefoil logo and prominent Three Stripes down the sleeves and legs. Fans are also treated to two distinct badge options across the garments, with items arriving with either the club's modern crest or the iconic circular 'eLka' emblem.
The Adidas Originals Legia Warsaw collection is available now through the club's official online fan store and selected physical locations. Prices range from 259 PLN for t-shirts to 419 PLN (60-95 EUR) for the full-zip track tops.
