PUMA LAUNCHES THE ARSENAL HOME, AWAY AND CUP KITS FOR 2014/15 FOOTBALL SEASON

New Kit Trilogy Inspired by Future, Forever, Victorious Story

London, United Kingdom (10 July 2014) – PUMA has launched the much-anticipated new Arsenal Football Club Home, Away and Cup kits for the 2014/15 season.  Each of the kits has a unique design drawn from the core values PUMA identified as being the essence of Arsenal.  These values inspire the Future, Forever, Victorious story that underpins the PUMA and Arsenal campaign, Stronger Together.

The blue and lime green Future Cup kit will be worn by Arsenal away from home in Cup competitions, including the UEFA Champions LeagueTM and FA Cup.  It symbolises the desire for innovation and progression that has driven the club through its history, resulting in Arsenal becoming the first team to wear numbers on shirts and the first club to have stadium floodlights so the team could play at night.  It also acknowledges the focus on youth development that has become synonymous with the club.

The Cup shirt combines diagonal blue stripes with a twist of lime green on the body panels and the sleeve cuff tips, bringing a youthful and fresh look to the shirt, with a tailored button down collar.

The home kit stays true to the traditional red and white Arsenal colours that first appeared in 1933. It represents Forever, inspired by the strong and loyal fan base Arsenal has built over the years, and the importance of this community to the Gunners. From the very beginning, Arsenal supporters have been at the heart of the club, a sentiment that stands true today as Arsenal’s appeal continues to spread to every corner of the world.

PUMA General Manager for Southeast Asia, Miguel Andrade (left), presents the Arsenal home jersey to former Arsenal player, Sol Campbell.

The crew neck Home shirt has a classic red body with heat transfer tapes running down the body. It has iconic white contrast sleeves that feature tipping on the cuffs, a design detail also seen on the Away and Cup shirts.

Victorious is the theme of the Away shirt, designed in the iconic yellow and navy blue colours worn by Arsenal during some of the most famous Gunners victories away from home.  Arsenal’s players and supporters have always demonstrated a class and excellence away from home, and the yellow and blue colours are inextricably linked with some of the Gunners’ greatest moments including the 1971 and 1979 FA Cup Final wins, and the title winning victory at Anfield in 1989.

The yellow V neck Arsenal Away shirt features heat transfer tapes running down the body and blue contrast sleeves with yellow and red tipping on the cuffs.

Arsenal star Mikel Arteta said, “The new kits have really impressed the players, especially because of the story behind them, which is something felt by everyone at this club.  Arsenal is special, and the creation of these kits is a wonderful way to acknowledge that.  PUMA has done an excellent job with the design. It’s a great start to this new season and we are hungry to progress and bring more silverware to Arsenal and our fans.”

Arsène Wenger, Manager of Arsenal FC added, “This is a big day for Arsenal.  It is the start of our new partnership with PUMA and everyone here is extremely happy with how things are developing.  We like the performance innovations PUMA is creating for our playing and training kits and we have real confidence in they support they will give us as our technical partner.  Today is a landmark in our club’s history as we look ahead to the upcoming season.”

Björn Gulden, Chief Executive Officer at PUMA said, “We have looked forward to this launch for some time. Many people here have been working hard towards this moment and I’m sure Arsenal fans around the world will be excited by the kit designs, as well as the training and fanwear collections.  It is a privilege working with Arsenal, not just because of the stature of the club but also the integrity of its people.  I am absolutely sure this is the start of a long and prosperous relationship for both PUMA and Arsenal.”

The performance shirts that the Arsenal players will wear on pitch features PUMA’s new football apparel innovation PWR ACTV, a technology that combines athletic taping and compression within the apparel to help players maximise performance.  The ACTV tape is strategically placed within the garment to provide micro-massages on the skin, working with the human body to provide players with a faster, more effective energy supply to the active muscles.

The Replica shirts all feature breathable underarm mesh inserts and PUMA dryCELL moisture management technology. They have the same design aesthetic as the on-pitch shirt worn by the Arsenal team but they have a more relaxed fit.

The Home and Away Replica kits and a full collection of fanware are available for fans to purchase now online at www.puma.com, in PUMA stores and at www.ArsenalDirect.com. The Cup kit will launch in-store and online on the 14 August.

Rights free B-Roll and imagery can be downloaded from the PUMA Press Centre at http://news.puma.com/.

Media Contacts:

PUMA
Tim Stedman, International PR: +49 151 1474 3148, tim.stedman@puma.com

Arsenal
Mark Gonnella, Communications Director: +44 207 704 4010, mgonnella@arsenal.co.uk

Katie Baldwin, Senior PR Manager: +44 207 704 4010, kbaldwin@arsenal.co.uk

PUMA
PUMA is one of the world’s leading Sports Brands, designing, developing, selling and marketing footwear, apparel and accessories. For over 65 years, PUMA has established a history of making fast product designs for the fastest athletes on the planet. PUMA offers performance and sport-inspired lifestyle products in categories such as Football, Running, Training and Fitness, Golf, and Motorsports. It engages in exciting collaborations with renowned design brands such as Alexander McQueen and Mihara Yasuhiro to bring innovative and fast designs to the sports world. The PUMA Group owns the brands PUMA, Cobra Golf, Tretorn, Dobotex and Brandon. The company distributes its products in more than 120 countries, employs more than 10,000 people worldwide, and is headquartered in Herzogenaurach/Germany. For more information, please visit http://www.puma.com