Umbro x Pikol Collaboration: A Fresh Take on Vintage Football Style
One of the standout features of Umbro is its ability to collaborate with multiple brands, each bringing their own interpretation of the iconic Double Diamond branding, while retaining Umbro’s unique essence. A prime example of this is the latest collection designed by London-based Pikol Clothing.
The Allure of Vintage Football Style
Vintage football style has surged in popularity, making it tempting for brands like Umbro to merely revisit their archives. However, Umbro chooses to explore its brand identity through collaborations that reinterpret its legacy. Pikol’s six-piece collection draws inspiration from six decades of football, sportswear, and British culture, blending historical elements with a fresh perspective.
Craftsmanship Meets History
As part of Umbro’s ‘Tailored For’ initiative, aimed at providing emerging designers the chance to rework the brand through their own lens, Pikol immerses itself in football’s visual history. Their collection spans from the 1940s to the 1990s, with each piece embodying a distinct era through meticulous craftsmanship.
Pikol prioritizes artisanal techniques over mass production. Each garment features hand-cut construction, embroidery, repurposed vintage materials, and traditional finishing methods, transforming the collection from a mere retro capsule into a wearable history lesson.
Highlights from the Collection
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1940s Inspiration
The journey begins with a shirt reminiscent of an archival Umbro design, featuring 46 individually hand-cut stripes of stonewashed grey and black linen. -
1950s Quarter-Zip Track Jacket
A standout piece utilizes vintage football shirts to create a unique Umbro logo, painstakingly assembled from individual sections cut in the Pikol studio. -
1960s T-Shirt
This simple T-shirt features hand-embroidered numbers representing the year of its original version, with elements sourced from off-cuts in Pikol’s workshop. -
1970s Football Shirt
A homage to Umbro’s archival jersey, with hand-chainstitched stripes and an embroidered logo, showcasing the detail involved in every piece. -
1980s Knitwear
A merino wool piece captures the crossover between football and fashion, featuring cross-stitched footballers. -
1990s Bomber Jacket
The finale of the collection sees a bomber jacket featuring a bold, oversized Umbro logo hand cross-stitched for added texture.
A Celebration of Football Culture
What makes the Umbro x Pikol collaboration compelling is its refusal to be confined by nostalgia. Instead of creating exact replicas, Pikol blends Umbro’s history with broader visual culture, crafting a collection that feels both rooted in the past and contemporary.
The end result celebrates six decades of football culture while remaining accessible and relevant today. Umbro’s legacy is transformed into an experiment in craftsmanship, showing how rich football history can inspire innovation when combined with handmade techniques.
Launch Details
The Umbro x Pikol collection launches on 23 September 2026, exclusively on pikol.co.uk.
This collaboration stands as a testament to the beauty of reinterpreting football culture, breathing new life into classic designs through dedication and artistry.
