Football kits inspired by food can very quickly end up looking novelty for the sake of it. San Francisco City and MEYBA though have managed to keep things playful without losing sight of making an actual wearable shirt.
Inspired by the iconic San Francisco born IT’S-IT ice cream sandwich, specifically the strawberry flavour, the club’s new away kit leans heavily into soft tones and subtle detailing rather than going loud and gimmicky. That soft pink base is absolutely the showpiece here. Clean, understated and surprisingly elegant for something rooted in ice cream inspiration.
The thin horizontal striping helps add texture throughout but the smartest touch comes in the melting effect woven into certain lines, dripping down the shirt to mimic melting ice cream. It is themed without screaming at you.
Then comes the more divisive side of the release. The chocolate brown collar and cuffs will absolutely split opinion. For some, it completes the IT’S-IT concept perfectly and ties the whole palette together naturally. For others, it may feel slightly too heavy against the softness of the pink base. There are shades of the LA Galaxy 24/25 third kit in the combination, although perhaps not quite as seamlessly balanced overall.
The green Sutro crest is another detail that immediately catches the eye. Matching the strawberry stems and the chartreuse MEYBA side detailing pulled from the classic IT’S-IT packaging, it definitely stands apart from the rest of the palette. Whether it fully works alongside the pink and brown probably depends on how much contrast you want from a football shirt, but one thing is certain, it makes the badge impossible to ignore.
The strawberries on the back finish things off nicely without overloading the concept. Small enough to stay tasteful and just another reminder that this is a shirt deeply tied to San Francisco culture rather than a random colour experiment.
San Francisco City continue to understand something a lot of clubs do not. If you are going to tell a story through a football kit, commit to it fully.
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