Interview - The Art of the Kit: Ezeta Conquering the Global Stage
- Ezeta's Mission: Ezeta was founded with the goal of creating unique jerseys that tell stories and express culture, as opposed to using template-driven designs.
- Production and Quality: Ezeta moved its production to Turkey to improve quality control, ensuring high-quality materials and attention to detail in every product.
- Future Plans: Ezeta aims to expand internationally, potentially opening physical stores in cities like Venice and partnering with clubs in the United States, Japan, and Latin America, while maintaining its commitment to quality and unique design.
In a football kit world often dominated by template-driven designs from global giants, Italian brand Ezeta has carved out a unique niche. Born from a conceptual design project in 2017, Ezeta transitioned to full production in 2020 with a clear mission: to treat each jersey as a canvas for storytelling and cultural expression.
We have teamed up with Ezeta to give you 20% off all kits on the Ezeta website - just use Code Footy20.
We sat down with the two founders, Enzo Contenta and Michele Paoletti, to discuss their journey from digital concepts to tangible art, their design philosophy, and their ambitious plans for the future.
Enzo Contenta and Michele Paoletti, the two founders of Ezeta
Chris (Footy Headlines): Ezeta began as EZ Design in 2017, focusing on concept kits. What motivated the transition from conceptual designs to producing actual kits in 2020?
Our ambition has always been to go beyond conventional sportswear, offering an alternative to catalog-based products
Enzo Contenta and Michele Paoletti (Ezeta): Our ambition has always been to go beyond conventional sportswear, offering an alternative to traditional brands that rely on catalog-based products. We wanted each jersey to tell a story—to become a recognizable work of art. Since our early days as a creative studio, many brands have quite openly drawn inspiration from our ideas.
Driven by the desire to break boundaries, we transformed Ezeta into a production brand capable of delivering authentic, one-of-a-kind pieces that go far beyond the limitations of a typical “sports kit.” Our goal was to create emotional experiences, especially through storytelling, where every detail carries meaning and artistic depth, making our products truly unique and exclusive. In essence, for us, the jersey is a canvas: a medium through which to convey culture.
Ezeta released their first kit in 2020
Footy Headlines Your initial sponsorship was with S.S. Lazio Calcio a 8. How did this partnership come about, and what challenges did you face in bringing your designs to the pitch?
Ezeta: The partnership with Lazio Football 8 was a pivotal moment for us. It marked the first step toward achieving a much bigger dream. It allowed us to test our design approach in a semi-professional context. The challenge was to find the right balance between technical requirements and artistic vision and it was precisely this challenge that pushed us to grow. It was a phase rich in experimentation, especially across Italian factories and production sites.
we soon realized there were significant opportunities to improve quality, from fabrics to color fidelity, thanks to our current supplier from Türkiye
However, we soon realized there were significant limitations in terms of quality, from fabrics to color fidelity. Thanks to the support of our community and the experience we gained along the way, we moved our production to Turkey, where we can personally select high-quality materials and oversee every step of the process, from prototyping to full-scale production. This hands-on approach truly reflects the level of care we dedicate to every product.
Footy Headlines Between 2021 and 2023, Ezeta expanded its reach by signing more deals with smaller Italian clubs. Were you contacted by the clubs, or did you arrange the deals yourself?
Ezeta: All the clubs we’ve collaborated with so far have reached out to us spontaneously, and our growth has come as a natural result of our unique and recognizable approach. Teams quickly understood that choosing Ezeta meant standing out, shaping something truly special. Each partnership has been a shared journey, where brand and club found common ground to express their identity together.
As we’ve entered the professional arena, the need for planning has grown, along with competition from other brands. For this reason, we’ve recently started initiating targeted outreach ourselves, selecting clubs that align with our philosophy, evaluating them based on territorial, artistic, and organizational factors, with a strong focus on their openness to innovation and creativity.
Ezeta's designs often incorporate ancient art
Footy Headlines Ezeta's designs often draw from local culture and history. For instance, the Latina Calcio kits were inspired by Greek mythology, specifically Odysseus and Circe. How do you approach integrating such rich narratives into your kit designs?
Each of our designs is conceived as a work of art, created to convey a deeper message
Ezeta: Each of our designs is conceived as a work of art, created to convey a deeper message. We don’t just create jerseys, we tell stories inspired by culture, history, mythology, and architecture, always with an iconic style and strong visual impact.
A clear example is our work with Latina Calcio, where we paid tribute to Ulysses by incorporating a graphic element from an ancient Greek vase depicting his encounter with the sorceress Circe, a legend deeply rooted in the Pontine region and the Circeo. Every jersey represents a chapter in a broader narrative: an object meant to move, inspire reflection, and convey values. For us, design goes far beyond aesthetics, it's wearable culture.
Footy Headlines cooperated several times with Ezeta for the launches of new kits
Footy Headlines You've worked with designer Daniel Norris on projects like the new Ostiamare crest. Will there be more collaborations with designers for new crests and other visual elements of clubs?
Ezeta: Daniel Norris is a key figure in our creative approach. Every project we develop with him is always a mutually enriching experience. In each collaboration, we seek the right synergy to enhance the visual identity of the club. Our goal is to make each team unique and on trend, using iconic and distinctive shapes and features, transforming each club into a true global brand with international appeal. We are not afraid to explore future collaborations with other talents or industry players to build even more original and distinctive visions together.
Footy Headlines Ezeta kits are known for their sleek, stretchy fit, something many players love. However, some, including us, have noted that the breathability can be limited, with comparisons made to wrestling tops. Are you currently exploring new materials or fabric technologies to improve comfort and ventilation in future collections?
One of the cities we see as an ideal destination for a flagship store is Venice
Ezeta: Quality and aesthetics are our top priorities, but we never overlook comfort. We consistently receive highly positive feedback from clubs regarding the breathability and elasticity of our fabrics. Our first experience with a professional team like Latina Calcio allowed us to test our products in the most demanding conditions, during their summer training camp, and the players responded positively.
For the club, this was a key requirement. That’s why we continuously explore new materials and technologies to enhance fit and functionality. Every Ezeta jersey is designed to strike the perfect balance between visual impact, comfort, and performance.
Footy Headlines Ezeta unveiled a new logo in 2024, merging the letters 'e' and 'z'. What was the inspiration behind this rebranding, and how does it reflect your brand's evolution?
Ezeta: The launch of the new brand in 2024 marks an exciting new phase in our history. From the world of Kit Design, we have grown into a company with a unique and recognizable style. We felt the need to renew ourselves, and the new logo is the symbol of this transformation: the letters "e" and "z", once separated by three strokes, now merge into a strong, cohesive, and iconic monogram. A distinctive mark designed to go beyond sportswear, capable of representing our identity across all types of products.
Footy Headlines Ezeta's kits are available globally through your own online store and retailers such as Classic Football Shirts and Fútbol Emotion. Are you thinking about setting up a physical Ezeta flagship store anytime in the future?
Ezeta: Our ambition is to expand Ezeta on a global scale, and while we are currently focused on online distribution, we do not rule out opening physical stores in the future. At present, we work with selected, high-quality retailers, specifically in the world of football kits and collectibles. Looking ahead, we want Ezeta to have a presence in symbolic locations places where our unique style can be truly experienced and appreciated in person.
One of the cities we see as an ideal destination for a flagship store is Venice, with its international spirit and timeless charm. Our expansion also targets strategic markets such as the United States, Japan, and Latin America, where our vision has always been recognized and appreciated.
We believe that jersey design should remain in the hands of professionals
Footy Headlines So far Ezeta has only collaborated with Italian clubs, although the brand is very popular worldwide. Will Ezeta expand outside of Italy at some point?
Ezeta: Yes, our international vocation is strong. Ezeta is a brand that aims to go beyond Italian borders, bringing our style to the world. In the future, we plan to collaborate with international clubs in countries like the United States, Japan, and Latin America. The goal is to introduce our concept of creative and customized apparel to new markets, while always maintaining the high quality and exclusivity of our “Born in Roma” product.
Ezeta might do the best launch images of all football brands
Footy Headlines Can clubs contact you if they are interested in working with the Ezeta brand? And how big must a club be to get an Ezeta deal?
The size of the club doesn’t matter
Ezeta: Ezeta is open to collaborations with clubs that share an ambitious vision and a strong desire to grow. We are interested in partnering with clubs that believe in a creative and distinctive approach. Our ideal partners are those with a strong local identity and a readiness to emerge on a global stage.
The size of the club doesn’t matter what counts is its ambition and its willingness to stand out from the crowd. We work with those who have the courage to innovate and the desire to tell their unique story together with us.
Footy Headlines Do you incorporate feedback from fans and the football community into your designs? Will there ever be a fan-designed kit, as done by many teams?
Ezeta: While we value fan feedback, we believe that jersey design should remain in the hands of professionals. Every kit we create stems from a clear artistic vision, the result of months of research and in depth study. We don’t think that entrusting design to fans is the right way to express a strong and coherent identity. Our philosophy is to guide clubs with respect for their history and popular sentiment, but with the ambition to elevate their image through distinctive, uncompromising design.
Latina's 2024-25 kit set in an unusual sight - Ezeta usually displays the kits in artistic settings, but here, the club apparently decided to go traditional
Footy Headlines Ezeta has a strong presence on Instagram. How does social media influence your design choices and brand communication?
Ezeta: Social media are our main tool for sharing the storytelling behind each jersey with the world, and we consider it essential to do so through original and eccentric photo campaigns. We have a clear vision and don’t let ourselves be influenced by fleeting trends, we want to remain true to our identity. We share our work, listen to fans and collectors, but stay committed to our vision. For us, design is identity, not a passing trend.
Footy Headlines Looking ahead five years, where do you see the Ezeta brand? What are your long-term ambitions—perhaps sponsoring a Serie A club, expanding internationally, or something entirely different?
In five years, we hope Ezeta will be an international brand
Ezeta: In five years, we hope Ezeta will be an international brand, recognized for its creativity, quality, and uniqueness. We aim to remain exclusive, offering iconic and innovative products that reflect our distinctive approach to football and creative apparel.
Ezeta aspires to never compromise with standardized or low-quality products. We want to keep growing, becoming a reference point in the industry while staying true to our nature as a “game changer,” never settling for compromises—and perhaps even partnering with a Serie A club.
The possibly best news is that we have teamed up with Ezeta to give you 20%! off all kits on the Ezeta website - just use Code Footy20 (And perhaps someday you will also be able to shop in physical stores of the brand in Italy and around the world.).
Do you think Ezeta's art-driven, "wearable culture" approach can challenge the established giants of the kit world? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
