A couple of weeks ago, the new Kashima Antlers 2022 away kit was launched.
While introducing a fairly clean and inoffensive design, it once again re-purposed a graphic that was previously used by other Nike teams.
This time around, it was the graphic that debuted on the Wolfsburg 21-22 home kit and was later seen on the Kaizer Chiefs 21-22 away kit.
It's worth noting that it's not that Kashima Antlers copied the other teams' design but it being released later is just due to the fact that the season in Japan is aligned to the calendar year. In truth all three shirts were likely designed at roughly the same time.
Wolfsburg & Kaizer Chiefs Share Nike Designs - Funny "Inspirations"
But what take the cake is that Nike and the three clubs came up with very specific descriptions about what they claim inspired the various kits.
For Wolfsburg, the graphic was inspired by the paint that gets applied to cars that are still being tested, as to hide their features.
"As a commitment to the location and the club's DNA, its modern pattern is based on the prototype design of cars, also called Erlkönige, and thus stands for engineering and innovation."
VfL Wolfsburg 21-22 Home & Away Kits Released
With Kaizer Chiefs, the geometric shapes are meant to represent the African continent.
"The away jersey is predominantly black and iron grey with accent gold lines mapping out the African continent, connecting us to Africa’s tapestry and solidifying our journey on the continent particularly after the memorable journey in last season’s CAF Champions League competition."
Kaizer Chiefs 21-22 Home & Away Kits Released
And finally, Kashima Antlers and Nike claim in their press release that the new 2022 away kit design derives from the famous Kashima Shrine.
"The graphic is inspired by the structure of the roof of "Romon", which is designated as an important cultural property of Kashima Jingu Shrine, and the depth is also expressed by drawing a pattern in light gray"
Kashima Antlers 2022 Home & Away Kits Revealed
While it's clear that the design was not produced with one particular club in mind, the inspirations are still more or less applicable, perhaps most so in the case of Wolfsburg.
Either way, this practice is not exclusive to Nike and still divides opinion in the kit community. But what do you think? Let us know in the comments below.