FC Lorient were founded in 1926 by Caroline Cuissard, whose daughter Charlotte gave the club's first players the checkered jersey that became their earliest visual identity. Those first players were fishmongers, stokers, and fishermen from Lorient's Quai de l'Estacade. The club was nicknamed Les Damiers in the press archives of the era: the chequers. One hundred years later, Joma has made that heritage the centrepiece of the club's anniversary kit.
The design
The shirt works from a deep black base with a subtle tonal checkered pattern across the torso, a direct reference to those original Les Damiers jerseys. It is not the club's usual tangerine orange. This is a deliberate departure from the modern identity: a minimalist design that reads as vintage rather than contemporary.
The collar is a traditional tailored polo style. All branding, including the Joma logo, main sponsor Jean Floc'h, and sleeve sponsors Acadomia and Breizh Cola, is rendered in monochromatic dark grey and silver. Nothing competes with the pattern.
The most interesting detail is the crest. A lenticular reflective material combines the club's original diamond-shaped emblem from 1926 with the modern badge, shifting between the two depending on the angle of light. Inside the collar, Club Centenaire is inscribed alongside four historic club logos.
The match shirts worn against Paris FC on 5 April 2026 went one step further: the names on the backs were not current players, but the members of Lorient's very first 1926 squad.
Limited to 1,926 copies
Production is strictly limited to 1,926 numbered copies, one for each year since the club was founded. Each shirt is individually numbered. Once they are gone, that is it.
The promotional campaign around the launch leaned fully into the heritage angle. Campaign imagery features classic suspenders, flat caps, and long pleated skirts, placing the shirt visually in the early 20th century rather than the current season. It is an unusual move for a Ligue 2 club in 2026 and a confident one.
