In their recent league match against Lazio, AC Milan debuted their fourth kit. According to Gazzetta.it, an impressive 70% of purchases were made by individuals aged 20-29, and a staggering 75% of sales originated outside of Italy. This phenomenal demand made February the most successful month ever for Milan’s online store, surpassing even last December when the celebratory 125th-anniversary jersey was launched.
Sales peaked in Mexico, driven by the popularity of Mexican national team forward Santiago Gimenez. Initial sales data from approximately two weeks ago, upon the kit’s release, showed that the first stock quickly sold out.
AC Milan explained the concept behind this distinctive fourth kit in a press release: “The collaboration between Milan, Puma, and Off White is more than just a fusion of football and fashion; it’s a celebration of the transformative power of dreams. It honors the ability of dreams to unite and inspire, transcending sports to create a cultural moment, embodied by this kit – the first ever created by Off-White™ for on-field wear.”
At the heart of this exclusive collection is the concept of ‘Dreamland,’ representing a rich tapestry of values and symbolism. The number ’63’ printed on the inner collar of the jersey is a potent symbol of dreams. Dreams of victory and sporting success for AC Milan, who won their first European Cup in 1963, and dreams of progress, inspired by Martin Luther King Jr.’s iconic ‘I Have a Dream’ speech from the same year. This speech remains a timeless call for social justice and equality, a vision shared by AC Milan, PUMA, and Off White™, who collectively celebrate the power of dreaming, offering a powerful reminder of the infinite possibilities it inspires.”
Milan and Puma’s jersey strategy is structured as follows:
- Home: Traditional black and red stripes, classic design (design variations are possible, but core identity remains).
- Away: Typically white or light-colored, inspired by Milan’s “magic nights” in the Champions League.
- Third: More adventurous designs, potentially using non-standard colors to appeal to a broader audience and incorporate important symbolic meanings, like last season’s inclusive and equality-focused third kit (a top seller).
- Fourth: A collaboration with a fashion-expert external brand to create a unique item merging brand identities and attracting a new audience beyond traditional football fans, drawing them to AC Milan through fashion. This strategy for fourth kits has yielded significant results in sales and recognition from fashion industry publications like Business of Fashion, which hailed Milan as “the football club who finally got fashion right.”