Suits you, Sir! Spanish soccer team wears tuxedo kit

Eoghan Macguire, CNN
2 minute read
Updated 7:45 AM EDT, Thu July 31, 2014
The eye-catching tuxedo kit of Spanish lower-league team Cultural Leonesa was worn by players in a preseason tournament.
The eye-catching tuxedo kit of Spanish lower-league team Cultural Leonesa was worn by players in a preseason tournament.
Courtesy Hummel
The third division club commissioned the jersey as a tongue-in-cheek way of celebrating its 90th anniversary.
The third division club commissioned the jersey as a tongue-in-cheek way of celebrating its 90th anniversary.
Courtesy Hummel
A percentage of the profits from sales of the special edition kit will go to local charities.
A percentage of the profits from sales of the special edition kit will go to local charities.
Courtesy Hummell
Despite the worldwide attention garnered by the unique design, Cultural Leonesa will not wear the anniversary kit in the new season, which begins in mid-August.
Despite the worldwide attention garnered by the unique design, Cultural Leonesa will not wear the anniversary kit in the new season, which begins in mid-August.
Courtesy Hummel
Other Spanish clubs have also designed creative preseason strips in recent times. This Deportivo Lugo kit is based on a pint of beer, a specialty of the Galicia region where the club is based and reflecting its sponsor.
Other Spanish clubs have also designed creative preseason strips in recent times. This Deportivo Lugo kit is based on a pint of beer, a specialty of the Galicia region where the club is based and reflecting its sponsor.
Courtesy Enfios
Another culinary trademark of Galicia is Pulpo Gallego, the local octopus dish, which is why this Deportivo Lugo kit is embossed with a giant red tentacle.
Another culinary trademark of Galicia is Pulpo Gallego, the local octopus dish, which is why this Deportivo Lugo kit is embossed with a giant red tentacle.
Courtesy Enfios
You have to look extremely closely (with a magnifying glass), but this kit worn by Deportivo Alaves contained the name of every season ticket-holder at the club in the 2000-01 La Liga season.
You have to look extremely closely (with a magnifying glass), but this kit worn by Deportivo Alaves contained the name of every season ticket-holder at the club in the 2000-01 La Liga season.
Martin Rose/Getty Images
This Barcelona away kit from last season is essentially a wearable version of the Catalan flag, affirming the club's strong regional identity.
This Barcelona away kit from last season is essentially a wearable version of the Catalan flag, affirming the club's strong regional identity.
Gerarad Julien/Getty Images
Athletic Bilbao's 2011-12 away strip was also a statement of regional pride, incorporating the colors of the Basque flag.
Athletic Bilbao's 2011-12 away strip was also a statement of regional pride, incorporating the colors of the Basque flag.
FRANCK FIFE/AFP/Getty Images/file
This slightly more obvious commercial venture by Atletico Madrid aimed to promote the "Spiderman 2" movie upon its release in 2004.
This slightly more obvious commercial venture by Atletico Madrid aimed to promote the "Spiderman 2" movie upon its release in 2004.
Carlos Alvarez/getty images
Another kit rich in local significance is the heart-patterned, blue and white jersey of Dutch side Hereenveen. Hearts also adorn the flag of Friesland province, where the town of Heerenveen is located.
Another kit rich in local significance is the heart-patterned, blue and white jersey of Dutch side Hereenveen. Hearts also adorn the flag of Friesland province, where the town of Heerenveen is located.
Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images
What's in a color? Quite a lot if you're a fan of Cardiff City. The Welsh club's Malaysian owner Vincent Tan changed the traditional blue jersey to red in 2012 as he wanted to make the team more popular with Asian supporters. Needless to say, this was to the frustration of much of Cardiff's local support.
What's in a color? Quite a lot if you're a fan of Cardiff City. The Welsh club's Malaysian owner Vincent Tan changed the traditional blue jersey to red in 2012 as he wanted to make the team more popular with Asian supporters. Needless to say, this was to the frustration of much of Cardiff's local support.
Stu Foster/Getty Images
Former Mexico goalkeeper Jorge Campos used to design his own uniforms. This particularly bright number worn at the 1994 World Cup was said to be inspired by his country's Aztec history.
Former Mexico goalkeeper Jorge Campos used to design his own uniforms. This particularly bright number worn at the 1994 World Cup was said to be inspired by his country's Aztec history.
Simon Bruty/Getty Images
Limited edition shirts

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Story highlights

Spanish club to celebrate 90th anniversary in tuxedo kit

A percentage of the profits made from the strip will go to charity

Other clubs have designed kits that embody pints of beer and octopuses

CNN  — 

When celebrating an important anniversary, it’s always good to look your best.

At least that’s the theory behind the latest kit for Spanish football team Cultural y Deportivo Leonesa, whose players donned a somewhat special uniform for a preseason tournament Wednesday.

A cross between formal evening-wear and a sporting outfit, the tuxedo-esque strip was specially designed by Danish firm Hummel to celebrate the third division side’s 90th birthday.

The club will give 10% of the proceeds to charities for mining families based in the region of Leon where it is based, while local children will also receive free football kits and coaching classes.

Fan reaction has been mixed since last week’s preview, says Hummel’s marketing manager Henning Nielsen, but the jersey has garnered worldwide attention for a team which has only once graced Spain’s top flight – back in the 1955-56 season.

“The club wanted to help the mining industry in the region, which is having some really tough times,” Nielsen told CNN.

“We wanted to go in and explore the club’s heritage and find what has local character, and incorporate that into the design.

“The club is celebrating its 90-year anniversary, so instead of having a formal reception with wine and drinks and snacks the club decided to do something … another way with a bit of character.”

The concept of designing a special-edition football kit to carry a special message is far from a new one – especially in Spain.

In 2000, Deportivo Alaves released a shirt that featured the name of every season ticket-holder at the club to show solidarity between the then top-flight team and its fans.

Second division club Deportivo Lugo, meanwhile, has released two special-edition kits for the coming preseason that take the appearance of a glass of beer and an octopus – two delicacies of the Galicia region in northwest Spain where the side is based.

La Hoya Lorca has played the last two Segunda B seasons in a broccoli-style shirt which is said to represent the southern Murcia region’s reputation for growing vegetables.

Even some of Spain’s most famous clubs, like Barcelona and Athletic Bilbao, have gotten in on the act.

Last season Barca’s away kit was based on the Catalan flag, while Bilbao’s 2011-12 away strip reflected the Basque flag and a few years earlier its “spilled blood” shirt was designed by a local artist whose work features in the city’s Guggenheim Museum.

Click through the gallery above to view the most eye-catching football shirts over the years.

Which do you think are the world’s best and worst sporting kits? Have your say in the comments box below.