The category of soccer fashion just welcomed a three-way collaboration between sports giant PUMA—who has "walked hand-in-hand [with the sport] for decades," Manchester City, and BlackEyePatch. The partnership is highly anticipated as the businesses bring a unique touch to Manchester City's 2023-24 jersey.
The jersey silhouettes boast a light blue color with kanji lettering, as well as standard partnership logos. Offered in both long- and short-sleeve versions, the former garment also features "The BlackEyePatch" lettering and Japanese text, effectively mixing BlackEyePatch's Asian roots with British culture. The inclusion of such lettering design sensibilities brings the soccer fashion collection closer to contemporary streetwear which may be an intentional choice for PUMA, Manchester City, and BlackEyePatch.
In addition to the jersey, the collaboration also includes a navy blue PUMA Suede shoe with cream accents and branded details.
Graphic Soccer Fashion Lines
PUMA Collaborates with Manchester City, and BlackEyePatch
Trend Themes
1. Soccer Fashion Collaborations - The collaboration between PUMA, Manchester City, and BlackEyePatch highlights the growing trend of partnerships between sports brands and fashion labels in the soccer industry.
2. Asian-inspired Soccer Fashion - The incorporation of kanji lettering and Japanese text in the Manchester City jersey signifies the trend of incorporating Asian design elements into soccer fashion, creating unique and culturally diverse collections.
3. Soccer Fashion as Streetwear - The inclusion of contemporary streetwear design sensibilities in the collaborative collection indicates the trend of blurring the lines between soccer fashion and streetwear, appealing to a wider audience beyond dedicated sports fans.
Industry Implications
1. Sports Apparel - The collaboration between PUMA, Manchester City, and BlackEyePatch presents an disruptive innovation opportunity for sports apparel brands to collaborate with fashion labels, creating unique and fashion-forward collections that appeal to a broader consumer base.
2. Fashion - The Asian-inspired soccer fashion collaboration between PUMA, Manchester City, and BlackEyePatch opens up new opportunities for fashion brands to explore cultural influences and design elements from different parts of the world, creating diverse and appealing collections.
3. Streetwear - The incorporation of contemporary streetwear design sensibilities in the collaborative soccer fashion collection provides an opportunity for streetwear brands to tap into the growing soccer fashion market and create sport-inspired streetwear collections.