France unveils 2016 home and away Nike Vapor kits with AeroSwift technology ahead of hosting the European Championships. The predominantly cobalt blue and white themes of the respective kits blend symbols of France’s storied football history with cutting-edge Nike Aeroswift technology that enables on-pitch focus by reducing distractions for French athletes such as Blaise Matuidi, Raphaël Varane and Anthony Martial.
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The new home kit features a hyper-cobalt blue body, a contemporary take on classic French blue, with a contrasting darker blue shoulders and sleeves produced by cross-dyeing black with the aforementioned blue. On the chest, engineered knit zones create a geometric pattern that enhances fit, with smaller mesh shapes at the bottom of the graphic.
Odes to national pride appear on both the interior and exterior of the shirt. The high-density federation crest is heat pressed to the chest and “France” is knit into the back collar. “Fierte” (Pride) and “Bleu” (Blue) adorn the inside cuffs while the inside of the body reveals a hexagonal graphic, which represents the diverse, multi-cultural composition of modern France and is framed by the message “Nos Differences Nous Unissent” (Our Differences Unite Us).
The sides of the kit also have a black stripe that runs the length of the shirt and matching shorts. Expanding when the player is in motion, it maximizes ventilation and reveals bold flashes of underlying red. New bright red Nike Hyperstrong Match Sleeves highlight the most dynamic part of the footballer’s body, the lower legs, to accentuate speed. Modified to today’s game, the new sleeve incorporates additional ankle reinforcements and protection pads in high-risk areas, without inhibiting agility.
A manifestation of the French national flag, the team’s new away kit showcases the same innovations and design details as the home kit but with a “Tricolore” theme. The body of the shirt is white, whereas the right sleeve is blue and the left sleeve is red. The shorts are white while the kit’s side stripes are navy blue, with underlying light blue. The new away socks are dark blue with a light blue linear graphic on the calf.
NIKE AEROSWIFT TECHNOLOGY
The most technologically advanced kits to date, Nike Vapor kits with AeroSwift technology are 10% lighter, with 50% more stretch than the kits they replace. They employ a new, textured high-performance yarn that wicks sweat from the skin 20% faster than Nike’s most recent football kits, while also drying 25% faster. Additionally, both the shirt and shorts are constructed using a new knitting process that integrates single and double knit to enhance breathability, stretch and fit.
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