The redcurrant Arsenal shirt is back

Since Arsenal’s return to adidas in 2019, we have been treated to a strong line of new kits, from the return of the bruised banana, to the Highbury tribute of this season’s marble away shirt.

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With those new designs has come a host of great concept shirts, and we have three of them featured in today’s concept review. @emmegraphic has created a trio of Arsenal concepts which continue the adidas theme of combining new designs with past favourites, including one very special redcurrant Arsenal concept kit. Let’s take a closer look at the designs!

The designs

Arsenal ~ Home, Away & Third Jersey Concept

...𝑻𝒉𝒊𝒓𝒅 𝒊𝒔 𝒊𝒏𝒔𝒑𝒊𝒓𝒆𝒅 𝒃𝒚 2005/06 𝒍𝒆𝒈𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒂𝒓𝒚 𝒌𝒊𝒕...#Gunners #Arsenal #ArsenalFC #Adidas #AdidasFootball #KitDesign #ConceptKit #JerseyConcept #KitConcept #Jersey pic.twitter.com/eA0OLToQLl

— emmegraphic (@emmegraphic_) September 23, 2020

All three shirts are designed in a similar style, with a slick classic collar mixed in with a v-neck which has been a largely ignored collar style in recent years, but stands out in these concepts. Alongside that, the adidas three stripes are understated on the shirts, appearing only on the sides of the shirts, in a style not dissimilar to Jack Henderson’s 2021 predictions.

This allows the designs of the shirts to truly stand-out, and the home shirt keeps a relatively simple design with white shoulders and a plain red torso. The various fading lines across the torso help to break this design up, and allow the shirt to keep its simplicity.

In the alternative shirts, @emmegraphic has been more expansive, with the away shirt taking Arsenal back to their traditional navy blue colour-scheme, a design similar to the 2019/20 third shirt. Building on the 2019 look, the secondary colour of yellow is expanded in the form of a fading line graphic on the torso. And while a contentious issue within the kit community, the altered club crest suits its blue/yellow makeover on this concept. 

Finally, the third shirt is arguably the most notable of the collection, taking us back to 2006 and Arsenal’s ‘redcurrant’ Highbury shirt. Nike, Puma and adidas (so far) have not returned to this shirt, but @emmegraphic provides what an updated version from the German manufacturers could look like. As ever, the gold mixes perfectly with the deep purple base, allowing the features, which includes a central crest, to pop on the shirt. 

While being not too dissimilar to Leicester’s 2020/21 away shirt, this color scheme should always have a place in an Arsenal kit drop!

Is there a classic shirt you would like to see your team wear again?

Every team has a cult status shirt, and in recent years we have seen a lot of these redesigned and worn for the modern day. We can only hope that we can add the Arsenal redcurrant shirt to that list soon, but, until then, @emmegraphic’s concepts will have to do!

🍇🍇🍇
Will we ever see this shirt again?

[THREAD] pic.twitter.com/tBNJII2Te8

— Football Shirt Collective (@thefootballsc) February 17, 2021

Does your team have a classic shirt you like to see re-released? Let us know in the comments!

Who is @emmegraphic? 

@emmegraphic is an Italian designer who creates concept shirts for a variety of sports, and always brings an engaging theme with his designs as with this redcurrant Arsenal concept kit. We have featured some of his previous designs, including a Russian League collection and a beautiful Flamengo shirt. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram to stay up to date with his latest work. 

Browse our own collection of vintage Arsenal shirts in store. The full collection can be found here. 

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