How A Nike Elite Team Kit Is Made - From Start To Finish
Jan 24, 2021, by Chris
Have you ever wondered what steps it takes before the football kit of a big team is being launched? London's semi-pro club Hackney Wick FC shared some interesting images that partly document how a Nike football kit is created.
Hackney Wick is no big professional team but a semi-professional club from London. However, they had the chance to get the same treatment as Nike's best teams for their 2019-2020 kits. The Hackney Wick 2019-2020 kits were designed in collaboration with Nike’s Nigeria 2018 Football shirt designer Peter Hoppins - So the design process of their kits partly shows us how the kits of Barca, PSG and other teams are coming to life.
The Design Process Of A Custom Nike Football Kit
There are different steps in the design process of a kit of the biggest clubs. As you've probably guessed, it takes many steps for a football shirt to land in a store.
The club’s jerseys were created to be London’s own version of Nike’s Naija kits
First, ideas and concepts are gathered by Nike / the club.
Second, one of the Nike designers creates a concept kit of which samples are being made.
Third, if the club is satisfied with the prospected designs, Nike prepares everything for the launch.
First Ideas, Sketches & Concepts
It all starts with a 'blank paper'. The first step that is needed for a bespoke Nike kit is brainstorming - for Hackney Wick FC that meant children players and others of the team were invited by Nike to share their ideas and create concept kits on paper or using Nike's digital tools.
"The club’s jerseys were created to be London’s own version of Nike’s Naija kits. The final design of Every doodle on the shirts were created by local schoolchildren, whose identity has been weaved into the kits with an aim of empowering a new generation of young Londoners".
Flamengo's officials disapproved Adidas' prospected 2022-23 home kit design in October 2020
Nike Creates Concept Of Final Shirt Design
After the first ideas of the shirt have been collected, a Nike football designer (in that case Peter Hoppins) creates a possible final design.
Design Concept Is Shown Off To Club Officials
Nike's prospected design is shown off to the team to find out if they are happy with it or of they would like to see some changes being made.
The product sketch and 3d image are the same as for Nike's Elite teams
It is safe to assume that Nike did not only show off the team a product sketch and a 3d render but also a real life sample of the kit. We can say that the product sketch and the 3d image are 100% the same that Nike also made for their biggest teams in 2019-2020.
Launch Pictures
What have to be done ahead of the launch are, logically, pictures for the launch. Select players are invented by Nike (or a commissioned agency) for a photo shoot.
Launch
The launch is the last step. It means that the team not only shows off a few pictures of their kits on social media but also to promote the kit and to made it available to buy as easily as possible.
Flamengo's official disapproved Adidas' prospected 2022-23 home kit design in October 2020
The Nike Hackney Wick FC 2019-20 kits were available from Nike.com, just as the kits of the biggest clubs.
Process For Elite Teams - A Bit Different & Usually Takes Longer
For Elite teams, the process is a bit difference and takes more time. Nike's process for a big team's kit usually starts around two years (a bit more than 24 months) ahead of the launch. In contrast to the kits of Hackney Wick FC, the first design concepts and ideas are gathered by Nike. Then a designer creates concepts for not only one but several teams.
What is not part of the process of a specific team's kit but is very important is the following. Before Nike's designers start with the first specific concept kits, they settle a streamlined design idea for a year (season) and the template(s) they are going to use. See the EURO 2016 kits as example.
The design of a kit is settled usually 18 months ahead of the launch
If Nike's colleagues and supervisor are fine with the designer's concept, it is presented to the club officials. If they are happy with the prospected designs (there might be made some small adjustments), the design of the kit is settled - usually 18 months ahead of the launch.
In fact, Flamengo officials disapproved Adidas' prospected 2022-23 home kit design in October 2020 - around 18 months ahead of the intended launch.
After the design has been determined, the usual steps begin. Nike lets produce more samples of the kit and tries to optimize the look and feeling of it. Some small things might change. It is also looked for possible problems with the shirts and other elements.
If everything is fine with a sample, the job for the Nike designer is actually done. The production for the final shirts starts around five months before the kits hit stores.
How much would you give to get the top club treatment of Nike for your team? Would you like Hackney Wick to share even more details of the design process? Comment below.
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