A design brief acquired by The Athletic contains a few interesting details. Most notably, Adidas seems to be asserting its role in the decision-making process much more specifically than before. In previous years, clubs who empowered their own design teams would sometimes go so far as to submit their own mock-ups and sketches of their desired kit designs. Adidas’ 2022 design brief says they’ll no longer accept those.
“Adidas will not execute input 1:1 based off of the images you provide,” the brief reads. “Adidas has the lead in providing design ideas and the club makes the final decision between the provided options.”
Clubs are instructed to “provide a clear and concise vision” for their 2022 uniform and a “mood board” of other design cues that represent their vision for the kit. The only thing the clubs seem to have specific control over — and this is not necessarily a change from previous years — is the trim art (they provide their own art for the graphics used on the jock tag, back of the jersey or the neck tape.)
Adidas, in turn, chooses the base silhouette for all kits, selects fabrics and graphical elements and provides a pair of “distinct design options” to clubs, based on their input.
theathletic.com
