Sports & Fashion. These two worlds couldn’t seem further apart. One is catching the game Sunday night; the other is catching who’s best dressed at an award show Sunday night. One enjoys player stats; the other enjoys fashion show reviews. One enjoys dry fit; the other wouldn’t dare. Throughout all their differences, the similarities between the two are undeniable. The athleticism in sports inspires on lookers by showcasing tremendous strength & agility to perform on an intense stage. Fashion inspires on lookers by creating designs to invoke thought through the body artform also performed on an intense stage. In recent years, we are seeing the influence of sports impact fashion globally. Whether you’re watching your favorite rookie’s Draft Day fit, seeing fit pics drop on the TL as athletes walk out to the locker room, or catching star players switching courtside for runway seats; these two worlds aren’t as far off we think. So far in 2024, we have already seen many collaborations between soccer clubs, athletes, & fashion houses combining different aspects of their worlds to redefine the relationship between the two.
Front Row at Fashion Shows
“We express ourselves on the pitch, and now we feel comfortable enough to express ourselves off it.” Arsenal’s forward/midfielder, Bukayo Saka, tells British GQ earlier this year at the Burberry’s AW24 show during London Fashion Week. Alongside fellow midfielder & Arsenal captain, Martin Ødegaard, the two had a night off the pitch to enjoy the newest work from Daniel Lee & British heritage. Footballers partaking in fashion week was a change of pace for many. Another example of a change of cleats for loafers could be seen during Milan Fashion Week when Liverpool defender, Trent Alexander-Arnold, stepped out to spectate at Prada’s menswear show in January. Over at Paris Fashion Week, Paris’ own club athletes were out at the crème de la crème of French houses. Paris Saint-Germain forward, Hugo Ekitike, was front row during Pharrell’s second Louis Vuitton’s menswear show. Some examples of how life off the pitch for footballers doesn’t have to be limited to sports related activities. That you could possibly have more in common with your favorite athlete than whatever club you rep.
Real Madrid’s Real Style
Collaborations can be seen all throughout fashion. Supreme x Maison Margiela. Balenciaga x Gucci. Louis Vuitton x Tyler, The Creator. But when Yohji Yamamoto & Adidas’ Y3 meet Real Madrid once again to collaborate on a new match wear collection, it’s bound to get attention. Combining elegance, tradition, & peak sportswear, the collection highlights the powerhouse identities of both collaborators. The match wear kits are for both the Real Madrid Men’s & Women’s teams, “constructed with moisture wicking HEAT.RDY technology to keep players feeling dry while performing on the biggest stage.” Designed in the club’s DNA shade, purple, with the signature rose graphic that Yamamoto incorporates in his Adidas works. The campaign was shot by London photographer, Gabriel Moses, featuring some of Real Madrid’s greats including Jude Bellingham, David Alaba, Kathellen Sousa, Naomie Feller, & Zinedine Zidane. This great collab has already been seen on the pitch just 5 days after they went on sale to the public on March 27th & is already such a success.
As stylish as Real Madrid is during matches, they are also sure to look as good traveling to them as well. Earlier this month, men’s luxury brand, Zegna, announced that they are the official travel-wear partner of Real Madrid. This exclusive collection “is crafted from fine materials then hallmarked with the iconic 232 Road Brand Mark. The partnership expresses Real Madrid and ZEGNA’s shared values as the world’s biggest club and leading menswear brand.” Ensuring that “every king needs a tailor”, Zegna has made this collection available at select stores worldwide with a Made to Measure service to create a wardrobe that focus on quality & complimenting the unique physique of the wearer. The team has already been spotted rocking this collection upon arrival for their UCL match against Manchester City on April 16th. The lads were truly dressed for the successful occasion.
Featured Footballers
Fashion allows the individual to indulge & express themselves freely. That’s no different for athletes. Seeing your favorite footballer being featured in campaigns & editorials for your favorite brand brings a dream to life that you didn’t know you needed. Like when your favorite artists from two different genres collab; it’s not technically supposed to happen, but it sounds so good. That’s how it felt when French national team captain & PSG striker, Kylian Mbappé, graced the cover of January’s French GQ with guest editor & designer, Kim Jones, in charge of the edition. Mbappé having the opportunity to use the GQ platform to discuss his life as a footballer, including the frustrations & successes that come with that is a refreshing change of speed for the typical GQ reader.
Another editorial moment is from February in Vogue Scandinavia’s feature of Liverpool defender & captain, Virgil van Dijk, modeling the latest collection of Danish brand Rains. As a longtime supporter and friend of cofounders, Philip Lotko & Daniel Brix, Dijk was the obvious muse to market the universe of outwear concepts they are creating.
Using athletes to model who precisely fit the brands ethos is what audiences want to see. Not just a buying gimmick but someone who lives true to the brand itself. We see this in Adidas Berlin’s latest campaign staring Bayern Munich forward/midfielder, Serge Gnabry. Illustrating Gnabry capturing the different moments in his day through the different options of Adidas Originals. The campaign accommodates his personal style well while remaining true to the brand. Campaigns, features, & editorials like this allow you to build upon your relationship with the clothes & athletes you admire. Acting as a common ground that the audience & sport to share.
Sports & Fashion. Though seeming to be two worlds far apart, the commonalities cross over seamlessly. Allowing athletes to explore creativity through an invoking art form. While fashion is allowed to study the human form being tested at tremendous levels. Both stages shine bright, shaping the history & future culture of each other’s industries. Looking forward to what collaboration is to come next in 2024.
Photos courtesy of British Vogue, Vogue Scandinavia, Adidas & Y3
