Kenyan fans react to latest African-inspired Arsenal away kits that resemble nation's flag

Kenyan fans react to latest African-inspired Arsenal away kits that resemble nation's flag

Mark Kinyanjui 14:30 - 18.07.2024

Kenyan fans react to Arsenal's new African-Inspired away kit.

Kenyan football fans have shown their excitement and pride following the official unveiling of Arsenal's 2024/25 away kit. 

The kit, introduced on Thursday, is a collaboration between Arsenal, adidas, and British African heritage brand Labrum London, celebrating the club's connection to its African supporters through design traditions from the continent.

The new away kit features the traditional pan-African colors of black, red, and green, punctuated with a striking white zig-zag graphic designed by Labrum London founder Foday Dumbuya. 

These colors and cultural elements are intended to create a mural that reflects Arsenal's past and present connection to the African diaspora in London and beyond, highlighting the rich cultural heritage within the team and its supporter base.

Interestingly, the predominantly black kit with patches of white, green, and red adidas stripes mirrors the colors prominently featured in the Kenyan national flag. This resemblance has not gone unnoticed by Kenyan fans, who took to social media to express their admiration and pride in the design.

On the social media platform X, one user wrote, "Let's face it, that's more like 'from Kenya to Arsenal and back again, that's literally the Kenyan Flag.'"

Others expressed a sense of longing, suggesting that the Kenyan national team, Harambee Stars, should don the new kits.

 "Dear Harambee Stars, we will not teach you everything. Yours truly," another user reacted. A third commented, "Hii ni Harambee Stars ama ni Arsenal (Is this a Harambee Stars kit or an Arsenal one)?"

Popular influencer Gabriel Oguda humorously reacted to the kit's design, saying, "Who is the Kenyan who designed that kit? Give them my Malaria vaccine."

Amid ongoing protests against the current regime, one fan expressed gratitude to Arsenal for unveiling what they perceived as Kenyan-inspired kits, captioning a photo of the Kenyan flag alongside the kit with, "Thank You Arsenal For The Support."

Another fan highlighted the kit's potential as a national team uniform, writing, "This would make a perfect Kenyan national team uniform."

Despite the enthusiasm from Kenyan fans, the official Arsenal website clarifies that the kit is not exclusively inspired by Kenya. 

The London capsule collection associated with the kit takes the patterns and colors seen on the away kit and reimagines them across various articles of clothing, including jackets, a tee, a jumper, and track pants.

The collection features a reworked Labrum London logo with the brand’s Nomoli icon, a symbol of protection and prosperity stemming from the Mende and Kissi tribes of Sierra Leone.

Overall, Arsenal's new away kit has struck a chord with Kenyan fans, who are reveling in the pride and connection they feel towards the design.

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