I was compelled to create a numerical typeface for adidas after being disappointed by some of the recent designs the German sportswear giant has used on national teams’ football shirts. Adidas pioneered the use of bold number designs for football jerseys, but recently these have failed to match the iconic graphic impact of those used in the past. Since 2000 all nations competing in international tournaments wearing adidas kits have used matching number designs, which means a brand new font every two years.
Clearly, Die Drei Streifen typeface is inspired by adidas’ “Three Stripes” motif, which has frequently been featured on its shoes and clothing since 1949. In fact this design is not the first time the company’s has looked to its trademark branding for this purpose — in the 1970s and 1980s many teams wore numbers incorporating three stripes, but the style has not been seen since the early nineties. Die Drei Striefen is a fresh and modern update on adidas’ rich sporting heritage at a time when soccer design is becoming increasingly influenced by external cultural forces.
