By Chris Wright
Fresh from brushing Ukraine aside to reach the party, France have rolled out the new kit they’ll be provoking their destiny with in Brazil next summer and a handsome – if a little familiar – beast it is too.
With the beautiful Fronk roped in to model Nike’s new Bleu wares (alongside Blaise Matuidi, Yohan Cabaye and Raphael Varane), the kit is loosely styled upon France’s 1958 home strip and cockerel crest (don’t tell Tottenham!), while the fabric is apparently inspired by the tale of the town of Nimes in the south of the country.
Allow us to explain: According to the accompanying blurb, Nîmes was the birthplace of modern denim, and the fabric takes its name from the town (i.e, ‘de Nîmes’) and the surrounding landscape is said to have inspired the dainty silk shawls favoured by the ladies of Europe throughout the 18th century.
In Nike speak, “this paradox between raw denim and elegant silk mirrored our designers’ desire to create a beautiful design aesthetic for the French home shirt.”
Oui, oui. Who are we to argue with that?
[Not a valid template]Nice, but we can’t help but feel Olympique Marseille have already cornered the market on denim strips.