It is fair to say that Stoke City have been getting their ducks in a row to release a new kit for Mark Robins’ first full season in charge.
The design process started way back in March 2024, has involved an unprecedented amount of dialogue with supporters, and they are the first club in the Championship to unveil their home strip for 2025/26. It is definitely bespoke rather than an off-the-peg copycat of other clubs. It is also available to buy immediately online before hitting the shelves on Saturday.
Sheffield Wednesday, who also work with Macron, have had a 2025/26 third kit available for pre-order since September last year – but there are no pictures. Fans have just been told it will feature “the club’s iconic owl logo of yesteryear”.
The contention for Stoke, then, has been the actual design. Supporters, it turns out, have been more prepared to push the envelope than when the experts are left to their own devices.
Everyone and anyone were invited to fan assemblies to give feedback about what main themes they demanded in a Stoke kit. Eventually 12 designs were put forward for consideration, three under each of four categories: retro, popular, fan-designed and Macron-designed.
The result – apparently the clear winner – is Stoke’s most radical departure from tradition since at least 2010/11, when Adidas gave the club an all red back – and reached the FA Cup final. Before that, there were red pinstripes within the white stripes in 1989/90 to give an almost pink effect.
