Two Anniversaries, One Collab: Y3 x Real Madrid
In 2022, Real Madrid turns 120 and Y-3 turns 20 so it seems like the right time for the pair to get back together for their first proper collab in nearly a decade.
Can't believe it's been nearly that long since 2013, when Y-3 and Real Madrid dropped revamped jerseys for the 2014/15 season, but so it goes.
Available now on adidas' website, Y-3 stores, and Real Madrid's retail outposts, the anniversary collaboration encompasses a tweaked fourth kit, goalkeeper jersey, and even some off-pitch casualwear.
Lightweight shell outerwear and pants ought to come in handy for transitional weather, while the kits will get year-round wear from the club's die-hards.
Those garments' distinguishing characteristics are "hand-painted" stripes, letters, and numbers, affecting the painterly ethos that Y-3 co-creator Yohji Yamamoto's mainline clothing often affects.
Of course, Y-3's sporty cuts are far more accessible (and affordable) than his dramatic womenswear and Pour Homme menswear collections, with more emphasis on day-to-day jersey tops and weather-resistant layering pieces.
Most of Y-3's recent deliveries have reiterated that approachable aesthetic with drops focused on revamped sneakers like its latest UltraBoost 22, though I'd expect some more collabs and special releases to go down by year's end to make the most of that anniversary.
Speaking of, this Y-3 x Real Madrid capsule even includes a team scarf, an uncommon touch for Y-3.
Madrid is currently celebrating its centennial (plus 20) by holding the #1 spot in La Liga, having shut down Paris Saint-Germain and Real Sociedad this month alone.
Its next match puts Madrid up against Chelsea, a team very much in flux.
