You know how it is with football kits, right? Most of them, especially the away ones, follow a pretty standard pattern. Stripes, blocks of colour, maybe a subtle pattern if they're feeling adventurous. But then you get something that just stops you in your tracks. Something that makes you think, "Hold on, what is *that*?"
That's exactly the feeling you get when you see the San Pio X 2026 away kit. Except, they're not calling it an "away" kit. It's the "O-way" kit. And that name isn't just a catchy marketing trick; it's a whole philosophy. It means "other way," and it's a deep dive by the creative studio Modì into how kit design can break free from all the usual rules.
Honestly, it’s just refreshing to see someone actually do things differently. To watch a club genuinely think outside the box, challenge what's expected, and build an identity that’s truly their own, rather than just leaning on tradition. And it’s even more impactful when this kind of bold move comes from a club in the lower leagues. Why? Because these smaller clubs often have fewer commercial handcuffs and way more creative freedom. So, let's give a round of applause to San Pio X, Erreà (the kit manufacturer), and the brilliant minds at Modì.
San Pio X is an amateur club from Italy. They're miles away from the glitz and glamour of elite football, but that distance, that very lack of spotlight, is precisely what allows projects like this to flourish. With Modì leading the charge on design and communication, the club has fully embraced experimentation. Their new Erreà away shirt isn't just a piece of clothing to show off some colours; it's a vehicle for big ideas, a canvas for challenging the status quo.
The core concept behind the "O-way" kit is simple in its name, but absolutely radical in how it plays out. As we said, "O-way" literally means "other way" – a fresh perspective on what an away kit can be. It’s a bold, adaptable format designed to shake up one of football design's most sacred traditions: the stripe. Think about it, stripes are fundamental to so many iconic kits. To mess with them is a big deal.
Modì didn't just decide to get rid of stripes altogether, which would have been easy enough. Instead, they chose to completely reinterpret them. They started with a traditional striped pattern, but then, the design collapses inward, pulling and converging directly into the sponsor logo at the centre of the shirt. The effect is striking – it creates this intense, focused point, almost like the design is drawing all your attention in. It’s a visual twist that takes something familiar and distorts it into something completely new, making the shirt feel like it’s challenging tradition, bending it into a modern shape.
You see, the San Pio X home kit is all about celebrating the honesty and grounded reality of amateur football. It’s solid, it’s real. The "O-way" jersey, though? It does the exact opposite. It catapults this provincial club into a whole new conversation, where the kit isn't just a decorative afterthought. It becomes a powerful communication tool. It’s conceptual, it’s a bit confrontational, and it very deliberately distances itself from any hint of nostalgia.
And that push against nostalgia is a key point here. We live in a football world that seems increasingly obsessed with remakes, throwbacks, and vintage references. Everywhere you look, clubs are bringing back old designs. But Modì and San Pio X decided, "No, we're not looking back." Instead, they’re carving out a brand new path for the away kit – one that respects the history of the game without getting stuck in it. It’s about moving forward, creating something new.
The launch of the kit itself was part of a much bigger, all-encompassing communication project. They even put out a campaign video, created entirely using AI, which visualizes the dreams of amateur footballers. It shows them breaking free from the often-grubby, ageing confines of local locker rooms. The video perfectly captures that familiar blend of madness, romance, and sheer obsession that defines grassroots football, then launches it way beyond the boundaries of your local neighbourhood pitch and those regular Sunday routines. It’s inspiring stuff.
Modì has spent years researching, analysing, and creating content in the football design world. With San Pio X, they’ve essentially turned the club into their very own experimental lab. It’s a space where wild ideas can be tested, compelling narratives can be built, and crucially, where kits can truly mean something again, beyond just being team colours. And here’s the important bit: all of this groundbreaking design was made possible thanks to Erreà’s customisation capabilities. It proves that disruptive, innovative design isn’t just reserved for the big, wealthy elite clubs. It’s accessible.
The "O-way" kit isn’t asking you to immediately love it or even like it. What it asks for is to be understood. It wants you to engage with the idea behind it. And in doing that, it serves as a powerful reminder that some of the most interesting and groundbreaking work in football culture is happening far away from the bright lights and big stadiums. It’s happening in those spaces where tradition can be bent, absorbed, and completely reimagined. It’s real. It’s exciting.
Remember to subscribe to our newsletter for more.
