Manchester United have teamed up with famous Mancunian band The Stone Roses to release a collection that is sure to fly off the shelves at Adidas.
Featured throughout the collection is the unmistakable artwork from The Stone Roses guitarist John Squire, which features on the self-titled 1989 album The Stone Roses. Influenced by Jackson Pollock, Squire's artwork is titled 'Bye Bye Badman', after one of the album's songs which references the Paris riots of 1968.
The lemons also have meaning: "Ian [Brown, The Stone Roses singer] had met this French man when he was hitching around Europe, this bloke had been in the riots, and he told Ian how lemons had been used as an antidote to tear gas," Squire told Q magazine.
In total, 10 different items feature in the collection, with the reversible anthem jacket a standout piece. One side takes the eye-catching design from the aforementioned album cover, while the other is a black base with gold Adidas branding and Manchester United crest. There's also three stripes of red, white and blue on the back of the neck.
A retro jersey also catches the attention, with the same 'Bye Bye Badman' artwork accompanied by a Manchester United crest adapted to include the words 'This is the One' - the song in which the Red Devils have walked out to at Old Trafford since the early 2000s, at the request of former captain Gary Neville. Two lemon slices also replace the footballs that normally sit on the crest, highlighting the subtle design elements of the new collection.
As well as another jacket, a few tops and t-shirts, shorts and tracksuit bottoms, the collection includes a scarf and bucket hat befitting the same design ideas.
The Manchester United men's team will wear the collection on pitch in the warm-up prior to facing Aston Villa at Villa Park on February 10, while the Manchester United women's team will do the same ahead of their away match against Southampton on February 10. Pieces from the collection are available to buy directly from Adidas.
“The Stone Roses is a band that is deeply knitted into the unique Manchester United fan culture both locally and globally," James Holroyd, Manchester United's chief commercial development officer, said.
"This collection is the perfect way to recognise our joint histories in a way that connects with both older fans and the new generation of supporters.”
Meanwhile, Inigo Turner, Adidas design director, said: “For many fans that remember watching the famous class of ‘92, The Stone Roses music is probably the soundtrack playing in their heads. Both the team and the band represented global youth movements that had Manchester at their heart.
"We’re excited to celebrate that relationship through this collection, which represents the beautiful fusion of northern England football and musical culture.”
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