England have unveiled their new Nike Vapor kit for Euro 2016. Deceptively simple, it has all sorts of interesting sartorial layers to it.
The kit’s bodycon architecture says: “confident”, “alpha”. It also says: “Herve Leger’s bandage dress for the lads.”
The ice blue design of the shirt, meanwhile, nods to the footie glory days of the 70s: the two-tone colour palette detail on the sleeves references the Ringer t-shirt (an American classic that makes us think of Richard Linklater’s 1976 set Dazed and Confused). It’s also very Brady Bunch (a nod to Louis Vuitton’s SS15 collection).
Was this Americanism intentional? Fox News has pointed out that there’s a strong resemblance to the US kit.
Leaks show that Nike's new kits for England and #USMNT are way too similar. https://t.co/xteSoNCk5u pic.twitter.com/rAjNBmCQiw
— FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) March 15, 2016
Fans have suggested that they’ve gone too far with the US influence ...
As well as the weird mix of sock 'color', why 'Vapor' and not 'Vapour' for the #England national team's kit? https://t.co/pWKTh188tq
— Jim Boardman (@JimBoardman) March 17, 2016
And they’re not happy about the red and blue contrasting colours on the socks and kit ...
Dunno about this new England kit, inparticular the kit-sock combopic.twitter.com/8aH3A3Ad3F
— Chux³ (@ChuxOnye) March 17, 2016
The biggest drawback, though, is that this sleek aerodynamic kit means the squad needs to lay off the celebratory beers for a bit and/or go gluten free. Which is, of course, very fashion.
