Nike third kits inspired by the history of the Air Max
The culture of sneakers merges with the design of new jerseys
September 7th, 2020
Nike Football has decided to launch the third kits of its top clubs in a special way. The swoosh, through the third kits of Inter, Rome, Chelsea, Tottenham, Barcelona, Atletico Madrid, Leipzig and Galatasaray celebrates the history of the iconic Air Max, one of the shoes that best meets football tastes and culture off the pitch. Blending the identity of a club with a sneaker is always a risk, but Nike has found a way to create interesting designs by giving each team an added value that combines the element of nostalgia, a modern patter and bright colors.
For the Nerazzurri it is a kit that is clearly inspired by one of the most legendary shirts in the history of Inter, that is, the one worn during the 1998 UEFA Cup final by players like Ronaldo, Zamorano and Bergomi. As with the other kits, each jersey refers to an Air Max. In the case of the Milanese club, it is chromatically combined with the new Air Max 270, while the design is exactly that of an Air Max 97 "Silver Bullet", one of the more recognizable than the family. The horizontal lines that were missing from the second jersey of the 2014-15 season are back.
The same goes for the Giallorossi. Again, Nike has combined a historical component of the club, a piece of Air Max history and a new colorway that is close to the colors of Roma. The reference to Roma history is the shirt of the 1998-99 season, in a Rome with Totti, Aldair, Di Biagio, Candela and Cafu. The safari texture of the Air Max 90 "Safari" is taken up perfectly, making the uniform much more fashion and streewear.
For the Barça kit, Nike was inspired by the colors of the Spanish city and the "combination of pink and sea green that evokes images of a Catalan dawn". The same color palette is also found on the Barcelona-inspired Air Max 90. A different reasoning for Chelsea, to whom Nike dedicates a decidedly more vintage shirt. The "red and blue are shades of the London club" reads Chelsea's posts, although there is the Crystal Palace responding in kind via Twitter. The Air Max OG 180 do the rest.
From one side of London to the other, with Tottenham combining a vibrant yellow with a simple design, with the homage to the Air Max 95. The colorway is once again inspired by the new Air Max 2090. From the UK to Spain, from yellow to green: the Atlético Madrid pays homage to the Air Max 90 and at the same time, thanks to a particular pattern, takes inspiration from the Neptune Fountain, which has always been the symbol of the colchoneros cheering.
The collection closes with the fiery red and orange shades of the Nike Air Max Plus in the Sunset colorway that align perfectly with the traditional colors of Galatasaray and the all-over "vortex" graphics created ad hoc to celebrate the Air Max 98, on the other, the bright colors of Leipzig.