If a football club announces an away shirt inspired by famous Spanish vineyards, you expect to see burgundy, claret, or deep purple. Instead, the Deportivo Alavés 2026/27 away kit, released on July 2 as the club’s first road strip with Macron after ending their deal with Puma.
It arrives in black and pastel pink. On the surface, the colour palette has nothing to do with Basque winemaking. Once you look at the weave of the fabric, though, you see how Macron split the shirt’s job in two.
Mapping the Landscape, Not the Liquid
According to Macron, the shirt pays tribute to Rioja Alavesa, the winemaking sub-region located in the southern half of the Álava province. Rather than using the colour of the wine itself, the designers mapped the physical terrain where the grapes are grown.
The black base is covered in an all-over tonal abstract graphic that mimics the topographical contour lines of the Rioja Alavesa hills and terraced vineyards. The shirt is constructed from Macron’s Eco Knit Energy, a 100% recycled polyester fabric with a built-in jacquard weave. Because the contour lines are rendered in dark, tonal shades over the textured black cloth, the map graphic doesn’t overwhelm the shirt. It reads as a subtle surface pattern from a distance and a topographical print up close.
Splitting Colour From Concept
That dark, textured base sets up the most noticeable feature on the Deportivo Alavés 2026/27 away kit: the bright pastel pink trim.
Macron used solid pastel pink for the crew-neck collar and the sleeve cuffs. Across the chest, the Deportivo Alavés badge and the Macron Hero logo are applied in monochrome pastel pink 3D silicone print, matching the single-colour front sponsor.
There is no need to invent a deep historical justification for the pink. Black and pastel pink have become one of modern football’s most reliable commercial colour combinations. By stripping the traditional blue-and-white Alavés crest down to a flat pink silhouette, Macron avoids a colour clash on the chest and gives the jersey a sharp, off-pitch look. The colourway chases modern retail sales, while the tonal contour lines carry the regional concept.
The Post-Puma Detail Upgrade
Where this shirt really separates itself from the club’s recent Puma releases is in the density of its custom details. When mid-sized LaLiga clubs sign with major global conglomerates, they frequently end up wearing stripped-back catalogue templates. Macron’s main selling point is the exact opposite.
Even on an away shirt built around a trendy colour scheme, Macron loaded the garment with five distinct local markers. Inside the collar, a custom sweatband repeats the club’s historic nickname, “GLORIOSO”, alternating with miniature club crests. The inner backneck label carries the club’s traditional blue-and-white colours alongside the “Designed in Bologna” sign-off.
On the outside of the rear collar sits the Ikurriña, the Basque flag. Down on the lower front hem, Macron added a dedicated commemorative badge highlighting the Rioja Alavesa winemaking tribute. The black shorts continue that same topographical vineyard graphic down the side panels, finished with pastel pink trim, while the black socks feature a wide pastel pink band around the top.
Earning the Palette
A black-and-pink away shirt in 2026 is usually a sign that a brand has defaulted to a safe retail trend. Here, the construction justifies the palette.
The Deportivo Alavés 2026/27 away kit works because of the detail baked into the weave and the trim. Macron used a commercial colour scheme to catch the eye, but backed it up with custom jacquard topography and genuine Basque markers. It shows exactly why mid-table clubs make the switch to Bologna, delivering a road strip that still belongs to Mendizorrotza.
