There’s no shortage of football shirts telling stories these days, but every now and then one comes along that feels genuinely different. That’s exactly what’s happened with the latest Ascoli Calcio 1898 release, a special-edition shirt designed by Ezeta in collaboration with hummel.
Ezeta have built a reputation on doing things their own way. The Italian brand has become known for creating kits that dive deep into local history, folklore and identity, turning shirts into wearable pieces of storytelling. But this is the first time the brand has opened the door to a collaboration of this kind, teaming up with hummel to produce a design that blends Ezeta’s creative vision with the Danish sportswear giant’s heritage.
In an industry where brands are usually protective of their space, seeing two labels come together on a football shirt is a rare thing. That alone makes this release stand out before you even get to the design. And what a design it is.
At first glance, it’s unmistakably Ascoli. The club’s iconic black-and-white stripes remain front and centre, preserving one of Italian football’s most recognisable looks. Look a little closer, though, and the shirt reveals a completely different layer.
Rather than simple stripes, the white panels are formed from an intricate illustration of Ascoli itself. The city’s famous skyline stretches across the shirt, with medieval towers, bell towers, palace façades and glimpses of Piazza del Popolo all woven into the design. It’s a visual journey through the historic centre, inviting the eye to move from landmark to landmark as though walking through the old town.
The colour choice carries significance too. The pale tone used throughout the illustration is inspired by the travertine stone that defines much of the city’s architecture, particularly in Piazza del Popolo, widely regarded as one of Italy’s most beautiful squares. It’s these details that have become Ezeta’s trademark, finding ways to connect a football club directly to the place it calls home.
As with all great Ezeta creations, there’s a deeper story running beneath the surface. In this case, it begins with the woodpecker, the sacred bird of Mars. According to legend, a group of young Sabines searching for new land in the 5th century BC were guided by the bird, which eventually led them to settle in what would become Ascoli. From those settlers came the Picentes, known as the People of the Woodpecker, and the bird remains an enduring symbol of both the city and the club today.
It’s a story steeped in local identity, and one that fits perfectly with Ezeta’s approach to football shirt design. Yet for all the thoughtful references and visual storytelling on display, the most interesting part of this launch for me might actually be the partnership behind it.
For Ezeta, this collaboration marks new territory. The brand has spent years carving out a unique niche through independently driven projects, so seeing it join forces with an established name like hummel feels like a landmark moment. Rather than compromising what makes either brand distinctive, the partnership has produced something that feels authentic to both.
The result is a shirt that succeeds on two levels. On one hand, it’s a beautiful tribute to Ascoli and the city’s architectural heritage. On the other, it’s proof that collaboration in football design can still feel fresh when it’s done for the right reasons. And if this is what the first Ezeta co-creation looks like, hopefully it won’t be the last.
