John Smedley For Umbro Tailored – 1948 Team GB Olympic Knitwear

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John Smedley For Umbro Tailored – 1948 Team GB Olympic Knitwear

For those of you who aren’t aware, John Smedley has teamed up with British sportswear label Umbro to recreate two pieces of athletic apparel from Umbro’s 1948 Team GB Olympic kit.

London first hosted the Olympic Games back in 1948, so the brand have decided that it is only fitting to reference their extensive archive and re-work some of the iconic garments worn by athletes over 64 years ago.

Adhering to John Smedley’s signature understated and elegant approach to knitwear, the brands have managed to give each of the classic pieces a contemporary twist, whilst still managing to maintain the vintage aesthetic that they set out to achieve.

The two pieces set to be re-released are the Tangeru shirt and a navy half-zip sweater.

The Tangeru shirt is and adaption of the 1948 uniform vest, which the athletes wore, and is now a three buttoned Henley t-shirt, complete with patriotic red, white, and blue stripes proudly emblazoned across the chest area. Constructed from Jonh Smedley’s own 30 gauge cotton, it gives the garment a sturdy yet soft feel.

The 1948 Fields sweater, worn as a warm up track top by the athletes, has also been transformed. Sticking to a understated, clean aesthetic, the dark navy jumper features mid zip detailing to the front as well as a ribbed collar and cuffs. In addition, the updated 1948 Field Sweater includes concealed, internal cut and sew pockets with dark navy external stitching.

This vintage inspired sportswear collection is set to go on sale on the 27th July 2012, over on both the Umbro and John Smedley websites.