They might compete at the fifth level of English football, in the National League. They might also have finished in 13th place, just above Eastleigh FC and four points behind Maidenhead United, but after their 3-1 win against Gateshead in their last game of the season, Leyton Orient have released their home, away, and third kit, designed by Nike and demonstrated in the London Eye, an English landmark on the Thames.
The home kit’s body is red with subtle lighter patterns under the surface. These patterns add a new dimension to the kit and allow for the designers to be more fluid with the shapes that are created. The pattern drifts across from the sleeves to the chest and seems to highlight the Nike Swoosh and club’s crest which sit above the team’s main sponsor: Dream Team. While the club’s crest is fantastically designed – honed over the many years, it does appear to get a little lost in the home kit’s red background. This need for the crest to stand out is highlighted with the goalkeeper’s kit which is blue: the red badge goes perfectly with this jersey.
The collar of the home kit is quite unique – with white stripes running along side, parallel with the wearer’s collar bones.
The away kit is yellow. Bright yellow. Under the arms a black stripe runs vertically and the Swoosh is black, accessorising the kit that’s a little different to Borussia Dortmund’s legendary home kit.
Finally, the third kit is pink (complete with pink socks, of course!). While the red badge does stand out more here than the home kit, it does seem to clash more than a little with the pink.
They’re three very simple kits, not quite as simple as the beautiful Bayer Leverkusen away kit (which this author has dreams about), but still, quite effective for a lower level club.
During their next season Leyton Orient will be pushing hard for promotion. During the promotion push, these three kits will be running all over Brisbane Road and indeed the country.
