Concept, design, launch: How a Premier League kit is created - ESPN

Traditionally, the summer transfer window has been where fans of clubs in the Premier League and beyond can focus their energy during European football's increasingly diminishing offseason.

But these days, the clamor to see the latest kits unveiled ahead of the upcoming campaign is almost as intense as the yearning for new signings. A whole industry has sprung up online bringing official and leaked images of new home, away and third jerseys to fans for them to rate and slate. That doesn't even cover the wild world of matchday warmup kits, where it seems as though anything goes when it comes to the patterns and colors deployed by designers.

But if you think designing a football kit is easy and that anyone can do it, think again.

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«There's no other business in the world where your customers are actually paying you money to then celebrate and wear your brand wherever they go,» said David Bruce, chief business officer at Sunderland, newly promoted back to the Premier League for 2025-26 after eight years away. «And then they show it off to all their friends, families and followers.

»They're walking, talking billboards for the football club, so we have to pay attention and give it the care and respect it deserves. It's their expression of desire and belonging [to the club], and their connection is the shirt. If you get it right, they'll buy it."

The first stage of designing a Premier League kit — clubs and designers begin to discuss potential approaches, sources of inspiration and other such creative jump-off points with each other —