With the recent kit launch Glentoran.com wanted to give you a more in depth look at the organising and design that goes on when a new kit is being launched. We present to you a behind the scenes, or as we call it, “Behind the Seams”.
In this part of 'Behind the Seams' we wanted to see where it begins so we asked Clifford Logan, a designer at KUKRI and also a diehard Glen man, if he would answer a few questions for us, thankfully he agreed!
Where does it begin when you set out to start designing a kit? Is there anything you look to for inspiration?
The process started almost 9 months ago when I first started working at Kukri, I was told that I would be designing the 2013/14 Glentoran kits, which came as a surprise if I’m honest!
I had worked in the building trade from I left school, but have always had an interest in design and especially football kit design.
I worked on a lot of Glentoran related projects such as the Glentoran Community Trust and Glentoran Gazette over the years, but never in my wildest dreams did I ever think I would be involved in designing the playing strip for my boyhood heroes!
I
thought designing the clubs 130th anniversary shirt was as good as it would ever get but this was before I started working at Kukri.
Being a lifelong Glenman maybe helped in working on designs for the new kit but at the same time comes added pressure to deliver something that the fans would like.
When we started out designing the new kit I had a fair idea of what Glentoran fans wanted from going to games, reading on forums and social network sites the general consensus was that most Glenmen/women wanted a return to a green home shirt.
So together with Chris McKeown (designer at Kukri Ireland) Sam Robinson and Ruth McCreery we came up with a few ideas about where we wanted to go in relation to the design. I think everyone has that one iconic Glens kit. ‘The John Colrain shirt’ ‘The Clock Shop shirt’ ‘The George Best shirt’ ‘The Glen Little shirt’ The Morgan day shirt’ etc. We were no different so between us we started coming up with ideas and eventually narrowed it down to 5 designs which would then be put out there for fans to vote for their favourite.
Do the kits reference to past designs?
Most of the ideas will always have elements of past designs; we wanted the kits to have a retro feel but at the same time keeping them contemporary and modern.
Myself and Sam had researched all of Glentoran’s kits from the inception of the club in our Playing for the Shirt book and the website playingfortheshirt.net so it was a good reference point when looking for ideas.
Have you ever taken any feedback / ideas from fans when designing the kits?
Absolutely! In my opinion that is the most important thing to do when looking at designing the kit. The fans are the lifeblood of any football club, WE are the people buying it, so if it’s not something that appeals to the fans, then you are not going to sell as many shirts as you would hope and in turn bring money back into the club.
I think letting the fans vote for their favourite was a superb initiative by the club!
We also took feedback from the players, management and boardroom when coming up with ideas.
Knowing Glentoran fans, do you think you have a kit for everyone with the 5 designs?
I hope so. But you’re never going to please everybody.
As I said earlier, most fans seemed to want a green home shirt, but there are a lot of fans that see the Glens home shirt as white and we have had a lot of success down through the years wearing white.
We wanted to give all fans an option, and I think by adding the white kit we have done that.
What challenges did you face when designing and picking the designs?
I faced a few challenges as the kit had to be what is known as ‘Cut & Sew’ that is when the shirt is made up of different panels of solid colour and stitched together, so you have to be aware how the branding, sponsors logos etc. will sit on the finished product.
Keith Jolley, senior designer at Kukri GB was a great help in giving me advice and ideas.
The other option was a sublimated shirt, that is when the design is heat pressed/printed onto the material, similar to the 130th anniversary and Irish Cup Final shirts, so the possibilities with this kind of shirt are endless, but it is also a more expensive option.
Some of the biggest clubs in the world such as Barcelona, AC Milan, Man Utd etc have their kits sublimated.
How long did it take you, from start to finish, coming up with the 5 Designs?
As I said previously the whole process started about 9 months ago, you start looking at ideas, making mood boards, drawing sketches, looking at kit design trends etc.
I think at one point I had about 10 or 12 kits deigned, some good, some bad!
Ideally you will get some prototypes made up to see how it looks in the flesh, as sometimes they will look good on your computer screen but it is hard to tell how it will really look when made up.
Last but not least, what was your kit choice?
That’s a hard one, as I’m sometimes my own worst critic!
I started following the Glens in the early 80’s when we wore mostly white home kits, the ‘Clock Shop’ shirt is a personal favourite of mine, so I liked the white version which was worn in the Irish Cup Final, which I have to say was my proudest moment following the Glens.
To see my wee team lifting the cup in a kit I had designed was something special, the closest I will ever get to playing for this great club.
Something I know my late Father (who passed away this year) would have been very proud off.
In saying that I’m a great believer that Glentoran’s home kit should always be green.
I found it hard to choose to be honest; but it had to be kit 4 for me.
Big thanks to Clifford for agreeing to be interviewed. Check back soon for the next installment of behind the seams!