How Manchester United Took a Stadium Anthem And Turned It Into a Three-Brand Collection

Sports and music often feel inextricably linked to a local culture. Their shared histories and connections to a place and time create scenes and artistic eras.

To celebrate the geographic and cultural links between the band The Stone Roses and the city, Manchester United just released a limited edition line of apparel, including jerseys, jackets, and headwear, that combine the album cover of the Stone Roses' self-titled album and the iconic Manchester United crest.

The collection is called "This Is The One," named after the song now used by the team as a stadium anthem.

THIS IS THE 🍋NE#MUFC || @adidasFootball

— Manchester United (@ManUtd) February 10, 2024

The most eye-catching is a soccer jersey that uses the splatter look of the album cover's background as the basis for the shirt, and uses the three Adidas stripes to reference the red, white, and blue stripes on the album cover.

🎶 This Is the One 🎶#MUFC || @adidasFootball

— Manchester United (@ManUtd) February 8, 2024

A more understated track jacket uses the same stripe motif, but uses a plain background for the Manchester United crest on the chest.

A bucket hat, which is popular again like many things from the '90s, uses that all-over print with a patch on the front showing the three logos of Adidas, Manchester United, and the Stone Roses, making it a triple-branded item.

Roses Are Red 🌹

Our new @adidasFootball x Stone Roses range pays homage to our iconic anthem and it’s available now 👉 https://t.co/WdJTlHSGCQ pic.twitter.com/ChOFRNT3Ae

— Manchester United (@ManUtd) February 8, 2024

"It’s a fusion of football, fashion, and music inspired by the iconic and legendary 'Madchester' era," Manchester United said on its site.

"The Stone Roses' music is the soundtrack for fans who remember the famous class of '92," said Adidas design director Inigo Turner on Manchester United's site. "This collection celebrates the beautiful fusion of football and musical culture that both the team and the band represented."

The team debuted the look this past weekend for its game against Aston Villa.

Even if you're not a fan of the band or the sports team, it's a really cool combination of multiple brands, taking design elements from each other to create a cohesive piece. It's a nostalgia collection that still feels current.

It also shows how you can take both subtle and obvious designs, like the three stripes and the all-over splatter, and use them in different ways on apparel.