Well-Known SOPH. designer Kiyonaga and Nike merge their style and talent for their collaborative football club, F.C. Real Bristol (F.C.R.B), with original camouflage patterns inspired by Nike-sponsored national teams.

For the Spring/Summer 2014 season, Kiyonaga chose among the Nike-sponsored, real-world football federations: U.S.A, Brazil, France, Holland, and Portugal to create a unique type of camouflage signed by Kiyonaga and Nike. The new collection is a perfect blend between the two renowned brands. It reflects Kiyonaga’s urban aesthetics with the recurrent camouflage theme from de F.C.R.B wardrobe. However, Kiyonaga didn’t take the same patterns as the F.C.R.B wardrobe. He created the patterns from scratch and applied them across the collection.

The sping/Summer 2014 F.C Real Bristol collection arrive today (June 12th) at Supernova x Firmament. Supernova is the future retail lab of Bikini Berlin where every season new partners realize their vision of retail.

The first season is themed “Future of Football” and presented by Firmament and Nike.

On this occassion we had the chance to talk to Kiyonaga and ask a few questions.

Building an imaginary team seems like a great task… Of course you have to focus on the team, but what about building the individual player? Do you have aspirations on that topic too? For example do you have a captain?
I don’t think about players in particular. Just like in real life, I`m running the brand like I manage a team. Sometimes there`s someone coming in or out, but everything is centred around the team.

Speaking of individuals, who is your most favorite player and who's your favorite german player right now or overall, if i may ask?
My favourite player is Andrés Iniesta. When it comes to Germany, I find Mesut Özil quite interesting. As for Arsenal, he dramatically changed after he joined the team — I'm excited to see him play as a centre of the German national team.

Design wise your creation definitely stands out from other uniforms, which are usually plain patterns - do you think it will ever be accepted by big clubs or FIFA regulations?
I do believe it will come one day. When I started the brand, there was a rule that forbade the Japanese professional league to wear black and navy uniforms, but now it has changed and those colours can be used. Also now in 2014, the uniform of the Japanese team Urawa Reds is made of camouflage pattern which is the same pattern as the Napoli in Serie A in 2013 - 2014. It`s my personal opinion but it seems that there is a new approach for design in the world of uniform right now, and I think it will keep expanding.

Are you going to Brazil to watch Japan play? What are you expecting?
It’s not sure yet, but there is a possibility to go. For this World Cup, I`m definitely excited for the Brazil team. The marketing aspects also excite me - which uniform from which maker will survive well? which player with which spike will do the best? - I`m curious about these things too.

interview: mrk