So yesterday I got this idea stuck in my head – wanted to see if I could mock up what Sunderland’s third kit might look like for the 25/26 season. Just a bit of fun, really. Started by diving into what’s usually out there.
Getting Started & Finding Reference
First thing I did was open my laptop late last night. Searched all over for past Sunderland kits, especially the third ones. Looked at colors they usually avoid for home kits, like deep purples or maybe bright oranges. Found loads of fan mockups from previous seasons too. Some were totally wild, others more classic.
Found an old kit template online that looked decent. Downloaded it. Took ages because my internet’s rubbish. Almost gave up twice.
Messing With Colors and Stuff
Opened up this basic design software I’ve got – nothing fancy. Started slapping colors onto the template. Knew it shouldn’t look like the home or away kit. Felt drawn to a dark, petrol blue kinda colour with maybe some electric green trim. Looked sharp at first, then kinda washed out. Had to mess with the shades for ages.
- Picked a main colour: Settled on a deep petrol blue.
- Trim colour fight: Tried electric green, looked radioactive. Tried a burnt orange, looked like Halloween. Eventually tried a matte gold-ish accent. Looked okay.
- Badge & Sponsor: Kept the club badge normal colours. Made up a sponsor name for the fun of it.
Adding stripes was a nightmare. Tried subtle diagonal ones first, looked like the shirt got caught in the rain. Ended up with two thin, offset horizontal bands near the bottom hem in that matte gold colour. Less is more, sometimes.
The Final Stretch (And Annoyances)
Spent ages fiddling with the collar. Wanted something different, not just a standard round neck. Tried a shallow V-neck mockup, looked weird. Went back to a simple crew neck with a thin gold trim. Classic works.
Tried adding some faint graphic texture behind everything. It just made the whole thing look dirty. Scrapped that completely. Clean looked better. Got frustrated with the software crashing twice. Almost threw my mouse.
How It Turned Out
Ended up with something I was kinda pleased with for a first go:
- Main Kit: Deep petrol blue shirt.
- Accents: Matte gold collar trim, thin offset horizontal bands at the bottom hem, sleeve cuffs, and thin side stripes on the shorts.
- Socks: Mainly petrol blue with gold turnover top.
- Overall Look: Dark, kinda modern, but not completely bananas.
Took a screenshot. Looked at it this morning and thought, “Hmm, maybe the gold is a bit much.” But you know what? It was just for a laugh. Took me a few hours on and off. Probably completely different to what Nike will actually make, but that’s fine. Makes you appreciate the proper designers! Might have another crack at it if I’m bored next week. Maybe try making the main colour a dark green instead.