Umbro
Year
2017
Disciplines
- Photography Direction
- Art Direction
- Retouching
- Typography
Boot and backdrop photography by Jon Shard
2017 marked the final season of the Umbro Medusæ football boot. To celebrate, an all-black, limited-edition version of the boot was produced.
The sleek, all-black design paid homage to the origins of the Medusæ Pro, a boot conceived to combine the best elements of classic leather designs, such as the Umbro Speciali, with the advantages of modern lightweight speed boots. The Medusæ had been a standout on the pitch, worn by players including Pepe of Real Madrid and Portugal.
The concept for the final boot campaign was to visually show the previous colour draining away, revealing a raw, colourless version of the shoe.
Creating the campaign required a hands-on approach, using practical effects to produce a series of bleeding colour backdrops. These were crafted using layers of inks, paints, and washes to form distinct, dynamic compositions.
The final artwork was produced in collaboration with retouchers to create a unique and stylish backdrop for the boots. The resulting visuals were applied across digital platforms and print, highlighting the boot in a bold and memorable way.
