Tag Archives: uniform

I knew something Gray and FUGLY was coming to UCLA because well I was given some of the design ideas before this design became official. I used what I was given to make a few helmets that followed some of the guidelines. I was told the helmet would Matte Gray and the first thing I asked was have they already bought them (hoping the answer was no) Sadly UCLA or Adidas or both had already decided that Gray which is a trend that is dead by the way was the way to go. You can see what I came up with for the helmets here. 

I shook my head and said ok I will see what I can do with what I have been given. The uniform I was not given a chance to look at but I knew it would be gray and thus FUGLY. Adidas pushed their current bad design ideas and we got the uniform you see today.

I am not a fan of this whole Hollywood nights or LA Steel or whatever stupid name you call it uniform trend. UCLA is a classic school that has lost its way. I am all for teams trying something new but someone has to be willing to tell the brand no or you end up being a laughing stock.

Adidas and its so called marketing and brand managers think that it is a good thing to have the world laughing at you. Yes, we are talking about Adidas but they have become the Lindsey Lohan of uniforms (a drunken mess that the world just keeps shaking its head at)

Lets start by looking at the uniform and breaking down where this train went off the tracks.

First of all stop with the patterns. Adidas you are the only person that thinks this pattern on everything look is a good idea. Gray is dead. It was dead two years ago. It is still dead this year. It will be dead next year. Navy they can use gray and get by with it but UCLA? UCLA is gold and light blue with a little navy blue thrown in.

The helmet should never be black, gray, or navy blue this is just a rule. Gold is great. I can even support white. I even like the idea of light blue but after that just stop please. The skyline in the UCLA logo is an idea I can go along with but just use the gold helmet. 

This pattern that has shown up on all Adidas uniforms is not needed and takes away from every single uniform Adidas has made the last two seasons. If this pattern serves some purpose make it the same color as the rest o the uni.

I like the metallic screen printing.

The numbers are ok but scream Toronto Blue Jays to me.

This uniform just like every other Adidas designed uniform of the last two years chooses to ignore tradition at every school in favor of this stock high school uniform template approach that a single designer working half days could knock out every NCAA in a week.

The Adidas approach to uniform design has destroyed one of the greatest things about college football. That thing is tradition and uniqueness. Adidas takes once proud schools and jams them into this prepackaged marketing driven box that makes every school under the brand name look cheap and unimportant.

Adidas you need to wake up and realize that you need a new design direction. A design team that focuses on what makes each school special. A uniform that with no logos on it can be identified by a grad from 1910 or 3rd grader. Schools have a soul but you are forcing them to sell it to you in favor of this corporate clone idenity some idiot in marketing thinks is a good idea. You as a brand need to fire the marketing guys that must be pushing this uniformity and allow talented designers to embrace and showcase the heart of each school.

This shit is not that hard Adidas but you keep fucking it up time and time again.