HUMMEL X SOUTHAMPTON UNVEIL NEW 2021/22 HOME KIT

Hummel has developed a shirt that not only nods to the nostalgia and successes of the past but also looks to the future, with a launch campaign that incorporates the latest in AR technology. Pre-order now.

The home shirt design features the iconic red and white stripes synonymous with Southampton Football Club complete with a unique to Southampton neckline with smart, black detail and hummel chevrons across the shoulders and within the stripes to give the illusion of movement and dynamism. Taking inspiration from the last shirt worn at the The Dell in the 2001/02 season, the shirt is a celebration of the club’s DNA with both The Dell and St Mary’s Stadium outline graphic featuring within the inner back and outer back graphic calling out 20 years at the current ground. A final nod to the home of Southampton Football Club sees the names of the stands from both stadiums featuring along the inner back hem.

Sarah Batters, Director of Marketing and Partnerships at Southampton FC, said: “As we mark the 20th anniversary of Southampton Football Club at St Mary’s, the players, the staff and the fans alike are proud to celebrate our current home but also remember and celebrate The Dell and that’s why the new kit features a creative nod to both. It’s all part of the Southampton DNA.”

“We’re a club driven to innovate, and the AR technology is an exciting way to bring our fans closer to the club and bring their shirt to life with that extra exclusive content that we know they’ll absolutely love.”

Allan Vad Nielsen, CEO of hummel, said: “After 30 years apart, it's finally time to launch the new Southampton home kit for the upcoming 2021/2022 season. We have a long-standing relationship with the club which is also reflected in this very first home kit - while at the same time tapping onto the great personality of the club."

“And that's why we have decided to bring back the iconic red and white stripes to celebrate history and nostalgia of all the glory memories at St. Mary’s and The Dell. We hope that the kit will be well-received by the fans and we look forward to celebrate many victories wearing it."

Whilst the home shirt celebrates history and nostalgia, it does so with one eye firmly on the future, featuring the latest in AR technology from partners Formidable and UNIT9. Different icons (AR trigger points) on the shirt design can be scanned using a smartphone camera to unlock a series of exclusive content including a 3D James Ward-Prowse doing keepy-ups right in-front of their eyes and a 360-degree portal which transports fans straight into the heart of St Mary’s Stadium.

Both football fashion fans and tech enthusiasts alike are sure to appreciate the simplicity and beauty of the shirt design alongside the AR technology innovations, however Saints fans will have a shirt that celebrates the history and DNA of the club, provides exclusive content and enables them to take their much-loved captain, James Ward-Prowse, everywhere they go.

To help launch the shirt, the club has also released a ‘mockumentary’ called ‘The Southampton DNA’ which follows two scientists trying to extract DNA from the club’s past and present to insert in the new kit, in a lighthearted nod to Amazon’s All or Nothing documentaries. There are of course some subtle digs at arch-rivals Portsmouth, as well as insider jokes and quips to entertain and delight Saints and football fans alike.

Pete Gibbons, Co-Founder of Formidable, said: “This world-first AR integration within a football shirt represents both the incredibly rich history of Southampton Football Club and its leadership innovation. We want the AR experience to push the boundaries of fan interaction and bring the unique DNA of the club to life in fans homes and anywhere they wear their shirts.

The yet to be released Away and Third Kits will also entail a nod to retro football fashion and club history. Pre-order the new Southampton home kit here.