Aston Villa launch kit partnership with LUKE 1977

Aston Villa have today announced their new kit partner and technical sponsor for the 2018/2019 season. The club will be joining up with Fanatics and LUKE 1977 to produce merchandise and playing shirts for the coming season after a breakdown between Villa and former sponsor, Under Armour.

Villa promised that the kit would be ground-breaking and innovative whilst benefiting the supporters, and we cannot argue. At all. Cutting out a large middle man will leave Villa a bit out of pocket, but will certainly mean cheaper costs, and ideally that is passed onto supporters. LUKE 1977 are a Birmingham-based fashion house, and will likely be the creative minds behind Villa’s new products, while Fanatics will distribute and market. It seems to be a deal with Villa, and it’s fans, at the forefront. The shirt however, will only bear the logo of LUKE1977 along with Villa’s crest.

Here’s more from the club:

"LUKE 1977 is a contemporary menswear fashion label with Birmingham engrained in its DNA. The brand, headed up by Birmingham bred Aston Villa fanatic Luke Roper, will maintain the quality and heritage of a kit that has played such an iconic, significant role in the Creative Director’s life. This partnership has allowed Aston Villa to provide fans with a kit that has resonance with its Birmingham roots and ultimately develops its engagement with the local community."

Innovative, groundbreaking and certainly something new, let’s hope that the fans benefit. We’ll wait and see on the latter, and I, for one, cannot wait to see what LUKE 1977 are able to produce with full creative control.