The landscape of the Aube department in northeastern France is quite something.
Set within the magnificent Forêt d’Orient Regional Natural Park are three enormous lakes, each bringing its own character to the surrounding countryside.
Lac d’Orient, Lac Amance and Lac du Temple form the Great Lakes of Champagne, a landscape rich with wildlife, watersports and remarkable natural beauty.
It’s this setting that ESTAC Troyes have chosen to celebrate with their latest third shirt.
Three lakes, three shades of blue-green.
Each represents one of the region’s famous bodies of water, flowing together across the fabric in a wonderfully fluid pattern.
There’s an almost shimmering quality to the design, with the colours mingling and rippling as though you’re looking across the surface of the lakes themselves.
It’s certainly an attractive combination, particularly with the darker detailing helping to frame those lighter aquatic tones.
The little details deserve some attention too.
Troyes’ famous crest has been given a reflective treatment, glittering rather like sunlight catching the surface of the water.
It’s a lovely touch that complements the wider design without distracting from it.
Look a little closer and you’ll also find a small sailboat motif, complete with the season marking, acknowledging one of the many activities enjoyed on the lakes.
Nothing particularly extravagant, but precisely the sort of detail we enjoy discovering on a football shirt.
Of course, there’s a rather familiar story developing across football shirt design this season.
Rivers, lakes, coastlines and the natural environment have become increasingly popular sources of inspiration.
Go Ahead Eagles celebrated the IJssel River and its historic importance to Deventer with a navy and gold third shirt:
Marítimo looked towards Madeira’s seafaring heritage, incorporating ships’ wheels and rope into their own third kit:
FC Südtirol took a slightly different approach to the natural world, celebrating the vineyards of South Tyrol with an intricate botanical design:
Three very different shirts, but all drawing heavily on the places their clubs call home.
Troyes have added another to the collection, and it’s difficult to argue that the Great Lakes of Champagne aren’t worthy of a little recognition.
Yet it does raise a question.
Are football clubs running out of original ideas for their kits, or are designers simply getting better at celebrating local identity?
We’ve certainly seen plenty of waterways making their way onto shirts recently, although the results are often completely different.
For Troyes, the combination of three distinct lakes, flowing colours and those small aquatic details makes for a particularly satisfying tribute.
Reflections, ripples and a whole lot of love for a region rich with natural beauty.
Credit; @estac_troyes
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