Arsenal has unveiled their new away shirt for the 2012-13 season. And it’s purple.

There are so many ways I could make fun of Arsenal’s new away kit for next season, but I won’t. Reason being is that Nike and Arsenal have balls to bring out a purple shirt, and to be honest with you, I love the new design. It’s fresh, bold and something new that you’d never expect to see, especially at a club like Arsenal that is renowned for being so conservative.

Arsenal’s new away kit features purple and black hoops. Purple was chosen because of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee year, and purple — of course — is a regal color.

According to the club website, “The purple design gives the kit a regal flavour in this Diamond Jubilee year for a side that was known as ‘Royal Arsenal’ in the 1890s, having been formed at the Arsenal munitions factory in Woolwich, South London. The red trim on the shirt cuffs compliments the purple body, while the differing hoop patterns on the shirt provide a modern twist. The inner back neck graphic, meanwhile, takes the form of the Club’s motto, ‘Victoria Concordia Crescit’, the Latin for ‘Victory Through Harmony’, while the outer back neck graphic pays tribute to legendary manager Herbert Chapman’s innovative WM formation. The purple and black hooped socks, bearing one red stripe each, pay tribute to Chapman’s legacy and his introduction of hooped socks to make it easier for players to pick each other out on the pitch.”

Meanwhile, the back of the shirt features a unique ‘AFC’ detail (see photo below, for a close-up).

Lastly, Arsenal have revealed their new away kit with the help of chart-topping pop duo, Rizzle Kicks. Watch the video below to see the shirt in more detail, as well as the band performing a track from their album Stereo Typical, ‘Demolition Man’.

What’s your opinion about Arsenal’s new away shirt for the 2012-13 season? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.