Black and White Football Boots Revival
The classic black and white combination has seen a resurgence in 2012 with a modern twist, as Nike, PUMA and Pele Sports have used the two tones to devastating effect. Drawing focus and opinions away from colour, attention is drawn to the boot craft, design and engineering.
2012 has been the boot industry's most colourful year, as a plethora of every imaginable colour has at some stage adorned a football boot. To put the colour chart to one side for a new release is a bold decision - like deciding to show a new action blockbuster movie in black and white not colour - but as you can see here the effect has been quite staggering.
Nike, PUMA and Pele Sports have managed to use bold strokes, patterns, designs and abstract lettering to create unique and innovative products. It's a traditional combination but in ways never imaginable a number of years ago. The key to which has been the use and development of synthetic uppers, and of course competition to get your footwear noticed in the market place.
The first of the three to be released was the 'Camo' effect PUMA evoSPEED back in May. A prototype boot, which used a Razzle Dazzle pattern to visually obscure the boot under development as it was worn by Sergio Aguero in training. This PUMA boot would go on to be released in limited numbers, and even ended on the feet of a number of players in the Bundesliga.
Next to be released was the Pele Sports 3E X SheOne football boots in August, a unique collaboration with British graffiti artist James Choules - aka SheOne. Famed for his bold sweeping strokes and abstract lettering, the London-based street artist brought flowing style to the super-light Trinity 3E to provide a raw sense of street style and expression to an emerging brand wanting to get noticed.
The Nike GS2 is the most recent release. Unveiled late November, the GS2's minimalist design aesthetic is to reflect Nike's lightest and greenest boot ever, constructed with recycled materials and built with ACC technology. The 'ACC' is less subtle, but it can't be denied the simple colours intentionally distance the boot from the Mercurial range.
Nike, PUMA and Pele Sports have achieved the remarkable - black and white football boots that are completely unique and individual. It could be argued they've designed wearable art on the pitch, they're certainly eye-catching and have injected new life into the classic black and white combination.