John Blair is perhaps the biggest authority on football shirts in the game. His debut book, A Culture of Kits, became a cult classic and was long-listed for the William Hill Sports Book of the Year in 2024. We were thrilled to sit down with him to chat all things football shirts ahead of the release of his new book, Football Kit Italia, this week.
John, we’re buzzing to see the physical copy of your second book, Football Kit Italia, ahead of its release on August 18. Tell us how this one came together.
I actually wrote the first one quite a long time ago, in 2020, and then I kind of worked on an edit. I didn’t do anything with it for a couple of years, and then I got it out to the publisher. The reaction to it prompted me to think, Okay, what other avenues are there? The really humbling thing was that there was so much love for that first book. I had a lot of people asking, “Is there another one?” So those two things came together. I felt like the Football Italia era was so culturally important in terms of television, football, and the expressive design of shirts. And while it’s been explored in a couple of traditional books, there wasn’t much in the way of pictures. I wanted a colourful visual exploration of that period. I started working on it in early 2024. It’s really nice to have it wrapped up and out this week.
Which shirt in the book has the most surprising backstory?
What I like about this particular period is that it’s not dominated by big manufacturers. There’s a smaller Italian domestic base - Lotto, Diadora, Kappa, Fila - and a lot of family stories. Kappa, for example, originated from an entrepreneur selling military-style fashion shirts. He literally took some t-shirts, dyed them green, and put military badges on them. They sold really well in the seventies, and then it moved into sportswear. I enjoy exploring stories like that. But I think the Fiorentina shirt from the 1992/93 season is especially interesting. There was a cool sponsor change during that season: it was a local toy producer, and then they literally created a felt print and stuck the 7UP sponsor over the top. So if you have that shirt, hold it inside out - the old sponsor is underneath, and the new one is on top. The Fiorentina shirt with the double sponsor is a nice story.
Who were your favourite characters of that era? AC Jimbo must be in there.
He is. Football Italia was amazing, and I got to speak to James for this book, actually. The commentators were a big part of it as well - Peter Brackley, Ken Wolstenholme. From a player perspective, I’ve got around 45 player and manager profiles in the book. I’ve written about Faustino Asprilla, Alvaro Recoba, Paul Gascoigne, Guiseppe Signori, Dario Hübner - the mavericks. Recoba’s debut, Ronaldo’s debut, the two wonder goals, the fake passport scandal. And, of course, Roberto Baggio is stitched throughout the whole era.
Which Italian club had the best shirts of that era?
That’s a good question. I’m definitely drawn to Fiorentina just because of the nature of the sponsors - the 7UP and Nintendo sponsors were super iconic. I think the Juventus shirts with their Sony and MiniDisc sponsors really stood out. And AC Milan had some really cool designs, especially with Opel. It’s interesting that early 90s shirts were kind of baggy - though the Italian kits were always a bit more tailored and stylish than British teams. As you get towards the end of the 90s, you get the Kappa Kombat fit - much tighter shirts - and you can see the journey of the aesthetic evolution of some of those designs.
Do you have any favourite manufacturers from that era?
In Serie A, I’d probably say two. Kappa had some standout designs, and over a longer period of time adidas consistently turned out really good shirts. The Roma shirt with the trefoil and the Bari diamond design stick in my memory. The AC Milan centenary kit from 1999/00 was also special. So for consistency, adidas. But from a local, domestic perspective, I’d probably favour Kappa.
How does a shirt become a classic?
I think there’s definitely a design element, but it’s more about the moments that happen in them. If everyone has witnessed a moment - a player, a goal, a tournament - that drives the desire to have a physical reminder of it. Controversial moments also play a part. Think of Eric Cantona’s kung-fu kick. Of course, there’s the design aspect - the sponsor, the manufacturer, the print set. Those things are hugely important. But moments drive nostalgia more than anything.
And which direction will you go for book three?
[Laughs] No, no. I’m tempted to leave it at two. I think you have to have a passion and deep knowledge about your subject for it to be valuable to people. If pushed, I could maybe do a Scottish 90s one with everything that was going on there - Ravanelli at Dundee, Sauzée at Hibs, lots of amazing stories. I was living in Edinburgh then, so I saw it firsthand. But I think I’m going to leave it with these two.
What about football culture in the States, where you’re based?
Attending games here is more like a family event. The half-time activities, the music, the giveaways - it’s got a very different vibe. The games have energy and aggression, but obviously the quality isn’t quite there yet. One thing I struggle with is the mindset of going to a game and wearing any shirt - like going to an MLS game in a PSG shirt. I’d say 60% of the people are wearing shirts from teams not involved in the match.
But there’s an appetite for shirt culture?
I think there are three parts to that. Maybe there’s a cachet in having a shirt others aren’t going to have in the States. Then there are fans adopting teams - like Man City - and going back to buy their old kits. And then there are new shirts, with a generation of fans who want Messi, Ronaldo, and Mbappé shirts. That’s a big part of it here right now.
Do you have any concerns for the collecting space?
Legitimacy, though that’s not a new concern. The number of remakes coming out is another. Some are by the original manufacturer, and I think it’s going to get harder to tell a true original from a remake over time. People will think they’re buying an original and pay that price. I also think there’s a shift from buying vintage towards buying more modern kits. Kids, I guess, are more attracted to them as fashion pieces.
Ok, finally, a few quick fire questions to finish. Umbro or adidas?
adidas.
Home or away?
Away kits have more freedom and you tend to get better designs.
Sponsor or no sponsor?
Oh, definitely sponsor.
Which modern shirt will be a classic in 20 years time?
The Roma third shirt from 2019.
One shirt you could save in a fire?
Oh, jeez. Probably my signed Manchester United one from the 2005 FA Cup Final. Signed by the full squad including Rooney and Ronaldo.
Football Shirt Italia is available everywhere on August 18th.
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