This is the story of the Chelsea Collection as detailed in the newly-released book Blue Is The Colour - The Official History of the Chelsea Shirt.

Written by Nik Yeomans, an expert on Chelsea kits over the years, the book contains the biggest-ever collection of match-worn shirts, some of which have been donated by the players themselves, accompanied by tales of how Chelsea colours and kit designs have evolved over the years.

That brings us back to the Chelsea Collection. We'll let Yeomans tell the story...

'Following the breakdown in the relationship with Le Coq Sportif, Chelsea made the bold decision to produce their own kit for the 1986/87 season.

'The new home kit was subsequently launched as part of a wider rebranding of the club and the creation of a fashion range entitled the 'Chelsea Collection'.

'By controlling the design and manufacture of the playing kit and associated leisurewear, the theory was that the club would fully benefit from the profits earned. However, it would also have to take on all the various costs and risks associated with such a venture.

'The most notable feature on the new shirt was a newly designed club crest. The new badge - which featured a lion either at rest or slumping on the letters 'CFC, depending on your point of view - appeared on the Chelsea Collection home and away jerseys and associated fashion range.

'It was significantly larger on the team shirts than the replica versions, which were also only available in short sleeves.'

It wasn't just the home kit that received the Chelsea Collection treatment. The away kit was also released under the fashion range umbrella and was a nod to our first home shirt.

'It was expected Chelsea would revert to yellow for the 1986/87 campaign,' writes Yeomans. 'However, when the first and only Chelsea Collection away design was unveiled it proved to be an unusual 'jade' colour.

'With more than a passing nod to the club's original ton blue shirts from 1905, the colour was chosen more for its suitability as a fashion item within a range of leisurewear than how it would work on the pitch,

'The design template was exactly the same as that of the home shirt, except that the stripes down the seams of the arms were grey rather than white. It was worn with matching jade shorts and socks, which sported a grey stripe. For the first time, both the home and away socks also featured the club badge.

'Perhaps surprisingly considering they had needed three kits for the previous five seasons, Chelsea were able to play every game of the 1986/87 campaign in either their home or away strips with no interchange of shorts or socks.'

The Chelsea Collection proved a one-off as ahead of the 198788 season, a deal was struck with Umbro to produce Chelsea kits once more.

However, the Chelsea Collection lives on with retro versions of the home and away shirts reproduced last season, with the latter available to purchase online and from the megastore at Stamford Bridge.

Blue is the Colour is researched and written by Nik Yeomans, the foremost expert on the Chelsea kit over the years. Whether you are also an aficionado, a collecting enthusiast or a fan who simply wants to know more about this fundamental part of the club’s heritage, this book is simply a must-have.

It can be ordered here now and is on sale in-store.