Oxford United football shirt becomes runaway success

Oxford United’s special edition kit, designed in collaboration with the Ashmolean Museum to mark its “In Bloom: How Plants Changed Our World” exhibition, has become the fastest-selling replica shirt in the club’s history.

The shirt’s design is based on John Ruskin’s “Study of Wild Rose,” a Victorian watercolour featured in the exhibition.

Dec McCarthy, publishing and licensing manager at the Ashmolean, explained how the partnership came about.

He said: “I began talking to Oxford United about three years ago and we pitched a few ideas around where there was common ground between the club and the museum, and clearly the connection was only ever going to be about Oxford.

“We looked at various artworks and artefacts in our collections that might resonate and we tried a few, tested a few, but ended up passing on them.

“We continued to discuss potential themes and then realised a big exhibition that centred around Oxford would be the best opportunity to partner together. And ‘In Bloom’ was the hook.

“We then fell upon Ruskin’s ‘Study of Wild Rose’ because, not only is it aesthetically beautiful, it’s got the yellows in it that matched to the United kit.

“And crucially, John Ruskin is so quintessentially Oxford.

“He taught students how to draw here at the Ashmolean.

“This shirt is as about Oxford as you can get.”

The shirt features a pale-yellow base and is framed by pink petals and green leaves inspired by Ruskin’s study.

The Oxford United badge and the Macron logo appear on the front, with ‘Ashmolean’ printed on the back.

Ryan Maher, Oxford United’s head of PR and media, said the shirt’s popularity reflects a shift in how football kits are used and viewed.

He said: “I think it’s been so popular because there is a real demand nowadays for football shirts to be different.

“They’ve gone beyond something that the football team and fans wear on a typical Saturday afternoon.

“You now see them worn at gigs, festivals and elsewhere.

“This collaboration with the Ashmolean is a success because it has been really well thought through over time.

“It feels genuinely authentic which is why it has garnered a lot of attention for being unique and relevant to the city, the museum and the club.

“And the design itself is just beautiful.

“For all these reasons, it’s really struck a chord with Oxford United fans.”

Just 24 hours after going on sale, the In Bloom shirt had already outsold the club’s previous home, away, and third kits for the season.

The limited edition shirt is available exclusively from the Oxford United club shop.