Kit archive
All-red Liverpool is one of the most recognisable silhouettes in football. But the club didn't always play in red, didn't always wear the Liverbird, and has swapped manufacturers eight times since first putting a maker's logo on the shirt. Here's the full kit history.
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Founded
1892
Most famous kit
1977 Hitachi Umbro — first shirt sponsorship in English football
Current manufacturer
Nike
Decade-by-decade breakdown of Liverpool’s home kit evolution, manufacturers, sponsors, and the stories behind each era’s most iconic shirts.
1890s–1900s
Blue and white quarters in the very first season, switched to red shirts with white shorts by 1896.
Liverpool were formed in 1892 after a split with Everton. The first kit was blue-and-white quartered — a pattern similar to the Everton shirts at the time. Within four seasons they'd adopted red shirts, but white shorts and black socks remained until 1964.
1910s–1960s
Red shirt, white shorts, white socks with red trim. Collar varied by era.
For over 50 years Liverpool wore the classic red-over-white combination. The Liverbird emblem was added in 1950. Bill Shankly arrived in 1959 and began transforming the club — but the kit stayed traditional until his now-famous experiment in 1964.
1960s–1970s
All-red Shankly revolution. Umbro badge appeared on shirts from 1973.
In 1964 Shankly asked Ian St John to try the all-red kit in the dressing room before a European tie against Anderlecht. Seeing the reaction, Shankly declared the all-red had given the team 'a psychological effect'. Liverpool won that match 3-0. The all-red has been the Liverpool home kit ever since.
1980s
The golden Hitachi + Crown Paints + Candy eras. Chevrons, pinstripes, bold typography.
Liverpool's most dominant decade coincided with three of the most iconic shirt sponsors in English football: Hitachi (1979-82), Crown Paints (1982-88), and Candy (1988-92). The 1984 European Cup-winning kit with Crown Paints lettering is widely rated the best shirt the club has ever worn.
1990s
Carlsberg sponsorship era begins (1992). Gradient greens, diamond patterns, the infamous 1995-96 white-collared home.
Liverpool's 1990s wobbled between the classic and the experimental. The 1991-92 away kit (silver with green trim) is a cult classic. The Carlsberg sponsorship, which ran for 18 years, started in 1992 and became inseparable from the kit's identity. Reebok took over from Adidas in 1996 for a six-year run.
2000s
The Istanbul 2005 Reebok shirt. Carlsberg on the front until 2010. Warrior debut 2012.
The 2004-05 Reebok home is forever associated with the Istanbul Champions League final comeback. Adidas returned in 2006 with a cleaner, more minimalist approach through Xabi Alonso and Steven Gerrard's peak years. Warrior took over in 2012 — a much-maligned three-year run featuring some of the club's least-loved kits.
2010s–2020s
New Balance produced the famous 2018-19 Champions League-winning home. Nike took over with Standard Chartered remaining as sponsor.
New Balance made some genuinely excellent Liverpool kits — the 2018-19 home (Istanbul anniversary trim) is arguably the best since 1984. Nike's takeover in 2020 has produced cleaner, commercially-driven designs. The 2021-22 quadruple-chase season's home shirt is becoming a modern classic.
Nike has made Liverpool's kit since 2020-21, taking over from New Balance in a deal worth a reported £30 million per year plus royalties.
Bill Shankly switched Liverpool to all-red (red shorts, red socks) in 1964 — previously they wore white shorts. Shankly believed the all-red kit would make the team look more intimidating. Within five years of the change, Liverpool had won the league and the Cup.
Hitachi became Liverpool's first shirt sponsor in 1979, making it one of the earliest shirt sponsorships in English football history.
The 1984 European Cup-winning Umbro shirt with the Crown Paints sponsor is widely regarded as the most iconic. Other contenders include the 2005 Istanbul Reebok shirt and the 1988-89 Candy home.
Current and retro Liverpool shirts are widely available. For current kits, the official club store and major UK retailers stock them. For retro shirts (pre-2010), Classic Football Shirts has the best selection.
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