It’s time to put away your vintage Brazil and Inter Milan shirts as Admiral Sports unveils the kit of the year in Walthamstow FC’s 23/24 Home & Away kit, in collaboration with The William Morris Gallery. Taking references from the legendary face of the Arts & Crafts movement, Admiral and Walthamstow have rejuvenated the patterns to form a kit as unique as Jay-Jay Okocha’s ball skills.
Decked out in Morris’ 1892 Yare textile pattern, the repeating motif has been altered for the home strip to match Walthamstow’s club colours, with the away kit and warm-up tracksuit bearing the true colours of the original.
Walthamstow FC’s proximity to the William Morris Gallery ensured that the club’s tradition of working with local partners could continue, whilst elevating the kits into art pieces in themselves.
Hadrian Garrard, Director of the William Morris Gallery, spoke of his excitement about the partnership. “We’re proud to support our local team Walthamstow FC through this unique collaboration. William Morris Gallery is part of a very special community here in North East London and this is a great way for us to bring the work of Morris out of the Gallery and into the streets and football pitches for next season.”
The campaign also acts as a love letter to the area. Shot in Walthamstow and featuring a cast of local models in favourite local haunts, the imagery is captured as a true celebration of the area, all caught on film by a photographer from Walthamstow (of course). Shirt partners include local brewery and long-time club affiliate Exale as well as charitable initiatives Wood Street Walls and No Space for Hate.
“Working on this shirt collaboration has been a special experience.” Explains Theo Hamburger, Head of Sales and Marketing Admiral Sports. Being able to tap into the William Morris archive of prints allowed us to dream up designs we hadn’t imagined before.
“This project was one for the community and we were able to work with so many talented people across Walthamstow, from models to photographers, and designers. Morris said “Art made by the people for the people, as a joy to the maker and the user.” | believe that we have produced something that is both a work of art and useable and hope it brings as much joy to the fans and the community as it did to us working on this kit.”
To further mark their commitment to their community and develop the next chapter of the football club, Walthamstow FC and Wood Street Walls have allocated a percentage of the proceeds from the collection that will be used to establish a new women’s team for the borough.
Mark Clack, Founder, of Wood Street Walls said. “The launch of this kit marks a three-year journey to make what we believe is the first collaboration of its kind and our first venture into fashion and away from public art, but with a strong connection to where we work, create and live.
“We are delighted by the care and quality that has been invested into the kit by our sportswear partner Admiral and the support of our funding partner, The Local Trust. We hope that the collection will help raise the profile of the club and build the strong community links the club is building. In the words of Arsene Wegner, “Football is an art, like dancing is an art – but only when it’s well done does it become an art.”
The Admiral Sports × Walthamstow FC x William Morris Gallery is now available on the Pro Direct website as well as in William Morris Gallery shops and their website.
“William Morris believed that people should be able to live in harmony with the world around them.” Says, Andy Perkins, Chairman, Walthamstow Football Club. Today we are unveiling the result of three years of collaboration between art, sport and manufacturing, I’m sure Morris would have approved and, if he was alive today would be happy to see his designs being worn by Walthamstow FC a club which has provided sport in the borough for 155 years.
Walthamstow FC’s work of art is now available now at Pro Direct Soccer
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