This was something we had always intended doing and the process should have been expedited by a tweet from Traşbot back in *checks notes* December 2020. Better late than never, eh?
Basically, Milan wore adidas from 1990-93 and again from 1998-2018, so, like Simon Treanor’s series filling in the Liverpool gaps, there was a gap that needed bridging.
The first stint wearing the trefoil was unusual in that adidas’s three stripes were almost nowhere to be seen – it’s possible that the change socks worn in the 1993 Champions League final against Marseille were their only appearance – but we allowed ourselves to indulge for the five-year period in question. Essentially, every real-life Milan kit is replicated in fairly faithful fashion.
1993-94
Of course, it just so happened that the striped design introduced by adidas in 1993, used by Cork City and Rangers (away), didn’t have a three-stripe effect, so this is something of a soft launch as we limit them to to the socks.
That understated approach is balanced out by the change kit – albeit with the same plain shorts as the home.
For the Champions League final against Barcelona, Milan went with a simpler style and so the design with three stripes around the ends of the sleeve ticks that box.
1994-95
While the home kit remained unchanged, there was a change of sponsor from confectionery producer Motta to Opel.
Again, there was a busy second kit, with the Republic of Ireland’s USA94 away chosen (it also resembles Turkey’s Euro 96 shirt), but with the cleaner look called upon for the Champions League final.
The 1-0 defeat to Ajax was the first time sponsors’ logos were allowed in European football’s showpiece occasion.
The gold third first appeared in the European Super Cup win over Arsenal.
1995-96
Usurped as Italian champions by Juventus, the Scudetto was gone from the shirts, with the club crest appearing there for the first time since 1941.
The home kit was unchanged but there was another new away (this one based on the Club Brugge strip) and rarely-used blue fourth.
1996-97
Milan with an unusual but not-unattractive approach in 1996-97 as a black third and red fourth kit joined the new home and the 1995-96 away.
While the temptation might have been to slavishly follow the 1995 Newcastle design, but it would have too closely resembled that of Irish side Bohemians.
Instead, we have taken a leaf from the Newcastle book in the way that the three stripes on the arms replaced a full stripe and transposed that idea to the Spain design.
1997-98
While Lotto did produce a couple of kits that were only worn in pre-season of their final campaign, in real terms there were only two new outfits.
For the away, we have gone down the route of the Newcastle change kit – we did try it with just the Opel lightning-bolt logo sitting on the stripes and no wordmark but it didn’t work.
The black third kit remained while there was another perhaps superfluous red fourth – using the Bayern Munich design allows a call-back to the mid-1940s away strip.
As ever, feedback is welcome – comment below or tweet @museumofjerseys.
Sorry, but I want to correct you about which Motta was the one which sponsored Milan. Actually the Motta company in Italy is a confectionery (such as panettone) and ice cream company from Milan.
Thank you Lucas, fixed now!
You’re welcome.
Clever idea for the 96-97 home 👏🏼
Love these and would love it even more to see those kits in real life. The 93-94 away, the two UCL final kits, as well as the 96-97 home would have made kits – excellent work there! And I am absolutely in love with your 97-98 away with the Opel logo within the stripe: creative and class all in one! This Milanisti is floored by this FKF!