Just for Kicks

While collaborations between fashion labels and football/soccer clubs in Europe and elsewhere are nothing new, the landscape is expanding, with more clubs and more fashion labels entering into such agreements. The fashion styles range from luxury to streetwear to denim; in many cases the club’s main kit supplier is part of the equation as well. The collaborations often yield pieces that are worn on the pitch or by the players during official off-field appearances, with replicas of those pieces or a range of separate designs available to consumers.

Some examples of note:

• British club Arsenal and its kit partner Adidas teamed with Stella McCartney (who also has an existing relationship with Adidas). The collection included 10 women’s apparel items (a shirt, socks, t-shirts, tracksuit, and more), plus on-field jerseys for both men and women and a pair of Ultraboost sneakers, all incorporating a leopard print and Arsenal colors. Arsenal and Adidas earlier had paired with 424, the Los Angeles streetwear brand, for a limited-edition collection for men and women. That initiative combined 424’s streetwear vibe with Adidas performance attributes and was inspired by the London club’s heritage and the lines of its Emirates Stadium home.

• Y-3, the venture between designer Yohji Yamamoto and Adidas, partnered with Real Madrid for on-field attire (the club’s fourth kit) and a capsule collection of off-field items. Adidas is the club’s kit supplier. Arsenal wears all-black kits when playing away and all white at home; this is a good fit with Y-3’s sensibility, as Yamamoto’s collections tend to feature monochrome designs. This collection builds on a partnership that first started in the 2014/2015 European football season.

• AC Milan and its kit partner Puma paired with streetwear label Koché for a six-piece upcycled capsule collection integrating the red and black stripes of the club. The garments combine unused jerseys, denim, and lace. Koché has also partnered with Paris Saint-Germain for a couple of collections of tracksuit-inspired high-fashion items.

• Paris Saint-Germain worked with 3.Paradis to create home and away jerseys featuring a flying bird, as well as complementary sweatshirts, scarves, varsity jackets, knitwear, hoodies, and a leather vest. Proceeds from sales went to Le Fondation Paris Saint-Germain’s Acting for the Disabled program. PSG has been very active in fashion collaborations. It previously partnered with fellow French brand Dior in a two-year deal to provide the club’s official wardrobe, marking Dior’s first pairing with a sports club; the range included formalwear such as black suits, ties, and shoes, as well as casual options such as knitted sweaters and jackets, among other pieces. Other PSG collaboration partners have ranged from Stüssy to A Bathing Ape’s BAPE label, as well as Koché, as mentioned above.

• A.C. Milan rival Inter Milan and Moncler, also based in Milan, forged a deal that made Moncler the official formalwear partner for the team for three years. The first-team players, coach, and board members wore the pieces for formal occasions. The initial collection consisted of 15 apparel, accessories, and outerwear pieces, all featuring the team’s signature colors, logos, and other brand identification, accompanied by a limited-edition capsule of five pieces available to consumers in Europe through Moncler’s website.

• F.C. Barcelona partnered with American designer Thom Browne for a capsule collection encompassing cardigans, tailored shorts, blazers, Oxford shirts, scarves, ties, socks, knit hats, and folios. The items were inspired by the club’s history, philosophy, crest, and dark blue and red stripes. Proceeds from sales went toward the Barca Foundation, which focuses on violence prevention, inclusivity, and access to education. This was a continuation of a partnership that had been ongoing for two years, with Brown previously creating tailored travel clothing and formalwear for the club.

• Napoli and its main kit maker Kappa partnered with Armani’s EA7 sub-brand as a technical sponsor to create an alternate kit. The pairing received some criticism for offering a design that was not that far off from the club’s normal kit, but for a very high consumer price. Part of the profits from sales of the jersey went toward charitable initiatives.

• In an American example, Los Angeles Football Club and Born X Raised, a streetwear brand based in Venice, California, paired for a limited-edition collaboration. The collection was available in the club’s LAFC HQ store, located at its home stadium. The inspirations for the collection included grassroots L.A. culture and the black and gold color palette of the team.

The first four deals listed above have taken place since the beginning of 2022, while the last four happened in 2020 or 2021. Other soccer-fashion pairings that have appeared over the years have included Manchester City with D Squared, Juventus with Palace, and Manchester United with True Religion, to name just a few.