The Shirt Fuse: Arsenal x adidas drop Bruised Banana-inspired away kit

While those of us across the pond were sleeping off last night’s pre-season victory by the Gunners against the Colorado Rapids’ B-team, Arsenal released their much-anticipated away kit by adidas with another Ian Wright-centered advert, as he and current Arsenal man Reiss Nelson watch highlights of Wrighty’s Gunners on stacks of old tube TVs while Wright talks about making history in the kit.

Suffice it to say, adidas absolutely crushed it once again. Not only did they put out a sleek and stylish kit for Gunners players and fans to get excited about, but for the first time in what feels like forever, the Gunners will be wearing actual honest-to-god yellow away kits.

Once adidas had been announced as Arsenal’s kit provider for the 2019/20 season, people immediately began to wonder if Arsenal would re-release some iteration of the famous Bruised Banana away kit worn by the Gunners in the early 90s. The jagged horizontal zig-zag of navy blue across a stark yellow became an iconic look for the North London side, coveted by kit collectors for its bold motif.

The latest away kit pays subtle homage to the classic kit, but in a far more subdued way. The Bruised Banana pattern is there, but now the navy chevron takes a back seat to the yellow. The details show a stipled, three dimensional take on the classic pattern, offset diagonally, adding a new take on the classic look. Adidas clearly set out to make kits that look as good off the pitch as they do on it, and succeeded immensely in doing so.

Arsenal teased fans last night when pictures surfaced of the peculiar lettering on the back of the kits worn during the stateside friendly. In unconventional form, the player names and numbers were yellow. Closer inspection, however, showed the subtle pattern of the Gunners’ impending away kit.

Much like the home kit, there was a complete and utter lack of secrecy surrounding the away kit, as pictures of the kit being worn by the likes of NBA star James Harden and famed Indian actor Ranveer Singh had already made their rounds for weeks. That being said, it doesn’t make the release any more exciting for Arsenal fans. After suffering through a rough five seasons with Puma, Arsenal seem to have found a perfect match with adidas.

And while clouds of doom and gloom seem to be swirling around the Emirates right now, fans can take relief knowing that whatever iteration of Arsenal takes the pitch this season, they’ll look damn good doing it.