All year long we’ll be on the hunt for fresh kits and the best fits for our Top Tops series which will lead us right into our Top 23 Tops of 2023 end of year best shirts bonanza! Both EV Loves NY and NY International FC have worked with kit-makers in the past couple of years to earn their way into the Top Tops finale and this time around they’ve partnered up - not only to make a good shirt but to do good things for New York!

EV Loves NY FC is a casual soccer group who play 5 v 5 or sometimes 7s - check out this previous Under the Lights for more information. NYIFC play in the 2nd div of the historic cosmopolitan soccer league - here’s more information about NY International FC as well. Club liaison Nicholas Alexandrakos alerted us to the shirts well before they were made and said they would be something special, and he was right. We reached out for more information and whatever Nicholas couldn’t answer, Gary Philpott, the club’s Vice President, was able to tell us.

This isn't the first time you've released an absolute gem of a kit - what inspired this shirt? If it's for a cause or charity, tell us more. Who was behind the design? What inspired it?
(Gary) I got a brief about creating a kit in collaboration with EVlovesNYC. The initial inspiration was about creating something trendy eye catching and something that stood out as “kit designer”.

When I started to play around with designs nothing seemed to be working, so as a past volunteer and big advocate of EVlovesNYC, I went and looked deeper in to what EVlovesNYC and what it really means. I went and looked at everything they’ve done over the past few years, from their website, social, media, mission, the incredible selfish work and everything that they stand for.

A few key words and common themes stood out during the research of EVLOVESNYC: COMMUNITY, RESILLIANCE, STRENGTH, UNITY, TOGETHERNESS, but one of the main things was about making noise and being heard, in the pursuit of ending food insecurity in NYC, as NEW YORKERS, TOGETHER, and immediately it clicked that all these powerful words and themes that embody EVlovesNYC which also embody what we are as a club needed to be incorporated in this shirt, which is visible on the kit.

The color scheme and the flare was about catching peoples attention : MAKE NOISE BE HEARD. Ultimaltely, no matter what part of the world you’re from we all moved to New York to be something, and in our hearts we have all becomel New Yorkers. It’s about raising awareness, catching attention, “making noise and being heard” and Uniting as New Yorkers to make a difference with such a great cause.

A few key words and common themes stood out during the research of EVLOVESNYC: COMMUNITY, RESILLIANCE, STRENGTH, UNITY, TOGETHERNESS, but one of the main things was about making noise and being heard, in the pursuit of ending food insecurity in NYC, as NEW YORKERS, TOGETHER, and immediately it clicked that all these powerful words and themes that embody evlovesnyc which also embody what we are as a club needed to be incoroporated in this shirt, which is visible on the kit.

Who is the kit-maker and why did you choose to work with them on this project?
We started working with Olive & York this year and they manufactured our new home and away kits. We were impressed with their commitment to quality designs and continual work for good causes. We felt like there was a natural alignment in cultural values and we have loved working with them so far.

Is it still available and for long?
The shirt will be available on O&Y’s website starting from April. All profits from each sale will go directly to EVLOVESNYC, our mutual aid cause and partner. Every jersey sold will sponsor 6 gourmet-inspired meals for our neighbors facing food insecurity. Every jersey sold helps contribute to our end goal of eradicating food insecurity in NYC.

If the kit is out of somebody's price range, or shirts just aren't their thing, how can folks help your organization?
If anyone is interested in donating to EV Loves NYC, or looking to volunteer or assist in some way, please reach out via the website www.evloves.nyc

- by Josh Duder