Arsenal is set to debut a new away black shirt for the upcoming 2022/23 season this summer while on tour in the USA.
Word on the street is the new design will be officially unveiled on Wednesday, July 20. Consequently, Arsenal is to debut the black away kit for the first time that night in the Orlando vs. Arsenal game.
Some decent quality leaked images are floating around, so let’s take a look:
Arsenal to debut black away kit: Our kit review
The design features a black/dark grey base, with a tonal pattern consisting of the letters “AFC” rendered in isometric 3D throughout, like something out of an M.C. Escher print (you know, those trippy staircases where up, down, left, and right have no meaning). The Adidas mark, sponsors, Arsenal badge and presumably name/number font are presented in a vibrant gold color, which really pops on the dark background. The Adidas shoulder stripes, however, are done in a light grey. The light grey looks fine, but why not go all the way with the gold?
Instead of the full Arsenal shield logo, only the cannon is over the heart, and the minimalist take works well here. Simple sleeve cuffs and ring neck collar round out the design.
Overall it’s an interesting look. At a glance the geometric letter pattern almost has a dazzle camouflage effect, which has been en vogue for the last few seasons, but not as loud in this case since it’s done as a tonal overlay. The only gripe I’ve got with the background effect is the layout/positioning of it. The location(s) they chose to mirror the letterforms give the shirt a weird sense of balance (or lack thereof), but it’s not a deal breaker since the design lives in the background. The black/dark grey base color will stand out in the EPL as well, since we’re usually presented with a sea of reds and blues, with some bright neon alternate tops thrown in.
Grade: A-
A fresh idea that will surely sell like hotcakes, this one is a winner overall. But gold shoulder stripes and perhaps a better positioned background pattern could have made it perfect.
The new Arsenal away shirt for 22/23 is expected to be available later this summer.
