Nike has explained the conception and inspiration behind the 2020 Super Eagles collection as it on Wednesday
revealed the new Nigeria 2020 kit collection with a new ‘Swoosh’ design set to replace the beloved Naija design, according to Nike.
The Super Eagles teamed up with the sports manufacturer ahead of the 2018 World Cup to deliver the Naija collection which broke sales records ahead in the run-up to the tournament in Russia.
Goal.com reports that Nike has also explained how the ‘Swoosh’ designs follow in the footsteps of the Naija collection, inspired by local fabric and infused with a ‘traditional aesthetic’.
“In 2018, Naija changed the game with a collection for the ages that set a new standard for how Nike approaches federation design,” Nike’s statement read.
“In 2020, Nigeria picks up right where they left off with a home kit that fuses the traditional aesthetic of an agbada robe with modern football design.”
An agbada is loose-fitting wide-sleeved robe worn in various West African countries, which is particularly popular among the Yoruba people of Nigeria.
“The kit’s pattern was hand drawn and is highly symbolic of Nigerian heritage with nods to nobility and family,” continues the statement. “Nigeria’s crest is placed centrally on the chest with a Swoosh underneath it”.
“The player names and numbers integrate the eagle feather into the application. ‘Naija’ appears inside the neck of jersey and on the back of the socks in a new typeface.”
Nigeria is set to wear the home design during the qualifying campaigns for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations and the 2022 World Cup, and the white and green first-choice strip will be complemented by a snazzy away design.
“The away kit is inspired by Onaism, a traditional artistic movement central to Nigerian design and craft represented in the trim details.
“An eagle feather aesthetic, creatively distorted, continuously repeats in ascending size to create a visual impact,” the statement concludes. “The collar has a slight V overlap with a thicker overlap in the back.
Both the collar and the sleeves feature a slight nick at the mid-point.”
