The ‘90s are alive in the Orca Kit

The long wait is finally over as the Seattle Sounders released their new third kit, the Orca Kit, as part of MLS’s Archive Collection. The Orca Kit is a full-blown blast from the past that "celebrates the club’s storied past and commemorates the Sounders’ 1995 A-League championship season,” as the club explained in their release about the new kit. The mid-90s nostalgia is right on time for the 30th anniversary of the first of a pair of back-to-back A-League titles in ’95 and ’96, and the Orca Kit fully leans into it with a design heavily inspired by the home shirts worn by the Sounders during the ’95 season.

The purplish blue body is set off by white sleeves with an aqua geometric pattern. The original version from 1995 featured white panels on the predominantly purple body and black and purple geometric patterns on the sleeves, but the allusion is obvious when comparing the two.

The fun and vibrant colors are cranked up even further by the inclusion of Seattle’s relatively new Sammy Sounder mark in place of the usual crest – the orca also appears on the white shorts that the jersey will be paired with – and the "Seattle Sounders" wave wordmark emblazoned across the chest where a shirt sponsor would usually appear. Both of those marks harken back to the club’s logos from the mid-90s and looked perfectly at home on the jersey. In addition to those references, the jersey also features a stylized A-League logo as a jock tag as well as a ‘90s era MLS logo on the back of the neck.

The colors and designs are cool and fun, the sorts of things that should be embraced when clubs introduce a third kit, but there are some smaller details that really make this jersey sing.

While most authentic kits these days are made to be as light as physically possible, opting for heat-pressed elements over embroidery and sewn-on patches, the Orca Kit utilizes a mix. The orca prominently placed on the chest, the Adidas logo opposite it are embroidered and sewn-on patches, which lend a look and feel of quality and will likely mean this shirt stands up better than most to actual wear and tear. The wordmark across the chest is heat-pressed, but has a more substantial feel to it than is typical of most modern jerseys. Similarly, the shirt features a textured, waffle-knit-like material that makes the piece feel all the more substantial. A heat-pressed, stylized A-League logo jock tag adds to the kit’s ‘90s cred and adds another direct reference to the Sounders team of the era. The whole look is finished off with a knit collar in purple with a bit of aqua piping that is also featured down the sides of the shirt.

The Orca Kit is being released alongside a pair of additional tie-in pieces: a new pair of Sounders sneakers and a jacket. The sneakers are Seattle’s second special Adidas Gazelles, this time in aqua suede with purplish blue accents and Sammy on the heel. The jacket is primarily aqua with purplish-blue accents on the zipper and the Adidas trefoil logo. The orca logo appears on the chest, with the wave wordmark on the back.

The ‘90s vibes weren’t limited to the design, as the Sounders have really stuck with the theme for the rollout of the kit and collection. From the skate video above and the choice of PNW ska legends Black Happy to provide the soundtrack, to the styling and camera angles of the various photo shoots involved, the mid-90s are palpable. Even doing a photo shoot with club minority owner Drew Carey, whose Drew Carey Show premiered in 1995, as part of the release.

The Orca Kits will make their debut tonight against the Colorado Rapids to kick off Throwback Week, and will certainly get plenty of run during the upcoming Leagues Cup.