Walthamstow FC’s new 2023/24 kit was made in collaboration with William Morris Gallery, marking the first time a museum has teamed up with a football club
The historic collaboration was devised by Wood Street Walls, an art collective based on Barrett Road, Walthamstow, who picked out the “Yare” pattern by textile and stained-glass designer John Henry Dearle from William Morris Gallery’s museum archives.
The pattern, which features scrolling green leaves with flowers in shades of pale blue, red and yellow on a dark blue background, was then block printed on cotton at Merton Abbey.
Announcing the collaboration, Andy Perkins, chairman of Walthamstow FC said: “William Morris believed that people should be able to live in harmony with the world around them; today we are unveiling the result of three years collaboration between art, sport and manufacturing, I’m sure Morris would have approved and, if he was alive today would be happy to see his designs being worn by Walthamstow FC a club which has provided sport in the borough for 155 years.”
Hadrian Garrard, the director of William Morris Gallery added: “We’re proud to support our local Walthamstow FC through this unique collaboration. William Morris Gallery is part of a very special community here in North East London and this is a great way for us to bring the work of Morris out of the Gallery and into the streets and football pitches for next season.”
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Meanwhile, Mark Clack, founder of Wood Street Walls, said: “The launch of this kit marks a three year journey to make what we believe is the first collaboration of its kind and our first venture into fashion and away from public art, but with a strong connection to where we work, create and live. We hope that the collection will help raise the profile of the club and build the strong community links the club is building. In the words of Arsène Wenger, “Football is an art, like dancing is an art – but only when it’s well done does it become an art.”
The sponsors included on the home & away kit complimenting the gallery’s front of Jersey identities are No Space for Hate, Wood Street Walls, Exale Brewing, and Urban by Nature.
The kit is available to purchase online from Pro Direct Soccer and William Morris Gallery
Any supporters purchasing season tickets for Walthamstow FC will be entered into a prize draw, with three people winning either a tracksuit top, home jersey or away jersey. You can enter the prize draw here
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