CAN THESE OG BRANDS REEMERGE AFTER JORDAN?

So the hype around the PSG x Jordan Brand collab was more than real. What we fail to realize though, or at least what I did initially, was that this is not the first time a brand totally foreign to the world of soccer has come in to stake its own claim. While numerous brands have come and gone before the Jumpman, the overwhelming success of this PSG x Jordan Brand collab has proven that there is obviously more than enough room for other brands besides adidas and Nike. There is clearly and more importantly real opportunity for brands out there right now, especially those with a streetwear heritage, to reinsert themselves back into the spotlight.

What follows is a list of brands I consider prime for a comeback or that I’d simply love to see back in soccer.

FILA

I start off with what is perhaps the biggest longshot, and that is FILA. Here in the United States, FILA has not been hot since the Grant Hill sneaker line. The same can be said about its stint in soccer as its heyday came at about the same time in the late ’90s and early 2000’s. Though the brand is not totally out of soccer as it sponsored some lower league teams in recent years, you start to wonder what sort of splash FILA could make in this new context we now find ourselves in, as well as with a much higher profile club to back it.

REEBOK

Reebok, as we all know, is a Crossfit brand nowadays, but who could forget the fire kits they put out in the not so distant past. This away number worn by Javier Zanetti in the late ’90s is one of the best put out by the brand. I know I can’t be the only one who wouldn’t mind wearing something similar to this with a fresh pair of Reebok DMX’s.

STARTER

Starter is another brand with a streetwear past to make a foray into soccer. Only a few years ago, the brand kitted out Oxford United, a team from the lower tiers of English football. While its design for the club’s home kit is not something that immediately grabs my attention, Starter still has an unshakeable nostalgia tied to it. There is definitely much for the brand to capitalize on, which is why I’d love to see some soccer club partner with Starter on some sort of apparel line at the very least.

CHAMPION

Rounding out the list is Champion, the brand I consider to have the most potential of all. Unlike all of the brands profiled just now, Champion is the only brand to still have considerable cultural relevance in the present day. Most of us might remember Champion in its time outfitting Parma. As those kits are still very sought after, I can’t help but wonder why the brand has yet to stage a comeback in soccer.

I hold out hope that some, if not all, of these brands will make their triumphant return. The timing just seems right as soccer now has the type of consumer that appreciates the allure of a brand with both a sport and streetwear past. Make sure to let me know your own thoughts on this topic in the comments below.

FOOTBALL IS FEMALE | THE WOMEN OF WORLD CUP 2018

If you’re familiar with what we do at Kicks to the Pitch, you’ll know of our feature series titled Chicks in Kits, a channel where we highlight female enthusiasts of the beautiful game, from ex-pro soccer players to creatives to fitness trainers, all of which share the same passion for the sport. As of today, we’ve decided to get with the times and rename the series to Football is Female in a bid to open our platform up to a more gender-balanced approach. Kicking off the revised series is a look at some of the stand out female fans that have trekked the globe to support our favorite global sporting event: the World Cup.

Taken while we were out there in Russia covering the games for our own purposes, we’ve managed to grab the emotion, intensity, highs, lows, and everything in-between from some of the many faces captured within the crowds. Stay tuned for more from our #footballisfemale series to come.

BOWERY FC’S WORLD CUP CLUBHOUSE AND EXHIBIT

Bowery Football Club is keeping it classic this World Cup. The Manhattan-based group is hosting a pop-up exhibition in Williamsburg, Brooklyn for the duration of the tournament, where you can feast your eyes on beautiful classic kits and watch any of the games on a massive projector screen. Club members Quinn and Carlos were happy to host us for the Switzerland-Serbia game and show us around the former firehouse that they rented out for the four weeks, which comes with a fully stocked bar and a patio out back.

 

Bowery FC teamed up with their partners Lagunitas Ale and Manchester-based Classic Football Shirts, who so graciously supplied the beer and kits, to bring this football idea to fruition. The attention to detail could not be ignored, as the jerseys were arranged by group order for this year’s edition of the World Cup.

Also on display are some of Bowery’s own apparel, my favorites being their Umbro kits and OnlyNY collabs. I have to say, there’s a unique flavor to BFC’s designs; one can tell just by looking at their custom stickers which ooze New York.

One can only feel right at home at the clubhouse thanks to the hospitality of the club members. I even managed to meet a DJ from London who lives in Dubai but was in town for the weekend, which just goes to show how the World Cup and soccer bring the world together, no matter your country of origin or if their team is in the tournament. Shout out again to Quinn and Carlos for having us, and keep up the good work. Bowery Football Club is a true representative of what New York can bring to the playing field.

You can follow Bowery FC on Instagram and Twitter. Their clubhouse exhibit is open for the duration of the World Cup at 411 Kent Avenue in Brooklyn, NY.

THE ADIDAS SOBAKOV CAN BE A SOCCER CLASSIC OF ITS OWN

They say some things are just too good to be true. I was certainly in complete disbelief when I first set eyes on adidas’ new soccer-inspired shoe: the adidas Sobakov. The shoe is everything of my wildest shoe dreams except I am not dreaming. These kicks are the real deal and here’s why I think they’re the best soccer lifestyle shoes adidas has come out with as of yet.

The stripes are obviously what draw you in. Their inspiration stems from no other source than one of soccer’s most classic cleats: the adidas Predator Precision. As you’ll recall, adidas recently reissued this cleat and offered a lifestyle option that came with a Boost sole. While many of you, including myself, would not mind having the Predator UltraBoost in our collection, we would not be wrong in saying that we did not miss out on much as rather than a consolation, the new Sobakov is the real prize.

Between the Predator UltraBoost and the Sobakov, one has to admit the UltraBoost will always look like a soccer shoe. The Sobakov, on the other hand, is more subtle in its inspiration and therefore has the potential to not only be more appealing to more people but to also be more versatile in one’s choice of outfits.

The Sobakov has what you call an unassuming elegance that is only further augmented by its shape. The contours, after all, are what I found problematic in adidas’ other soccer lifestyle options such as the latest Predator Tango 18+. That shoe just looked too modern and I couldn’t see anything in it that said Predator to me, even though it was called a Predator. The Sobakov is the complete opposite as I am able to see much more than just a Predator. Despite the references to the adidas Kamanda, the shoe’s shape, especially with that sole, reminds me much more of a Nike Roshe or a Yeezy. Both of these shoes have obviously been overwhelmingly popular amongst consumers and may just provide the wave that the Sobakov can continue to ride.

This connection I draw makes it more apparent to me why the shoe does not look to be packaged as an adidas soccer release. Instead, the shoe looks like it will be an adidas Originals offering even though the soccer inspiration is in much more than just the stripe detailing. adidas has truly exceeded my expectations as rather than merely appropriating the distinct features of a Predator, which I once said was all that was necessary, the brand has now also redefined other features from yet another classic silhouette. Taking inspiration now from the Samba Classic, the Sobakov’s upper makes the Samba’s beloved textured tongue a prime rather than secondary feature. With this, adidas has given us everything we want more of in a shoe that is familiar, but new yet with all the makings of becoming a classic of its own.

There is no info on the release of these as of yet, but make sure to stay tuned to the KTTP IG for all the details.

Images via Sneake Studio.

KTTP RADIO EP. 55 | GUERIILLA FC, CHAMPIONS LEAGUE & BVB

After a two week hiatus Drew chats with founder of Guerrilla FC’s Justin Salhani on the inspiration behind his brand, his thoughts on the World Cup kits, and the ever evolving blend of fashion and lifestyle with the beautiful game. He critiques designs, praises others, and predicts who takes it all in the World Cup this year. The guys also reflect on a multifaceted soccer culture that exists today, the praise it is receiving in the fashion world, and how far branding has come in recent years. Whether you like the boots, the kits, or the lifestyle, the game can reach anyone on any level.

We also recap the rise and fall of Liverpool in the Champions League Final (poor Karius), his opinion on Sergio Ramos’s controversial tackle on Mo Sallah, and what Zidane’s resignation means for Real Madrid moving forward. He also touches on the Dortmund vs. LAFC match that happened here in LA praising the class and respect of the Dortmund players.

You can check it all out below including some photos of Guerrilla FC’s recent releases:

SLAM JAM & NIKE UNVEIL “BROTHERS OF THE WORLD” JERSEY

Nike and Slam Jam Socialism have collaborated on a jersey highlighting the crossover from soccer to street culture. To celebrate their “40 years of Nike Football” campaign, the Swoosh is releasing a special edition jersey just in time for Milan Design week.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with Nike’s partner for the project, Slam Jam is an Italian men’s streetwear brand founded back in 1989 by Luca Benini. The company focuses on releasing socially progressive fashion and lifestyle goods with limited edition items and highly desired collaborations. For Nike’s “Brothers of the World” campaign, the Italian imprint focused on the passion so often found in soccer and the love one feels for their chosen team.

The jersey offers an aesthetic look, featuring a white base with black horizontal lines of varying gradation tapering at the neckline. Two solid black panels run up the sides, before the solid white reappears on the back. The traditional swoosh remains aside a sleekly designed chest logo. Detail wise, the words “FAST” is written in bold black letters, inside of a red horizontal box, with the word “south” cast in unique lettering, which serves as the center logo.

The back has been left rather simple with “SLAM JAM” in place of the nameplate, and a large number “14” in bold block lettering. In my opinion, though the front is pleasing, the back seems rather dull, and the “14” mark looks cramped – a large red stain on an otherwise clean creation.

That being said, if you are looking to pick one up they will drop on April 19th, made available online at slamjamsocialism.com and at Slam Jam’s store in Milano.

ANIMAL PRINT STEPS OUT OF THE JUNGLE AND ON TO THE PITCH

For anyone that calls themselves a sneakerhead… in fact, most that are even remotely into sneaker culture will have seen at the very least one footwear iteration that boasts Nike‘s synonymous animal-inspired patterns & prints, be it from an Animal Pack or a Safari drop. The soccer realm, however, has finally received its long awaited follow up, Mercurial CR7 Safari being the first, into the animal kingdom – despite the amount of flash out on the market – thanks to renown fashion designer and director Kim Jones‘ efforts with Nike’s Mercurial Superfly 360. Cast in a blazing “Total Orange,” the boots’ upper brought on an all-over display of Cheetah-print, which in our opinion puts this design miles ahead of the game.

Now, you may be wondering why the ex-men’s artistic director at Louis Vuitton and the now current artistic director at Dior Homme is adopting the pattern of a cheetah onto not just a shoe, but a soccer boot at that. The reason behind the design is refreshingly straightforward. “I grew up in Africa and have always admired the strength of animals. The cheetah is the fastest land animal, so it makes complete sense as an inspiration for me,” the designer tells Nike News. Jones is not the only one who within the past month has decided to put their creative touch on a soccer boot.

We of course have Virgil Abloh – who coincidentally took over Jones’ role at LV if for some strange reason you haven’t heard that news already – and his Off-White take on yet another Nike Mercurial: the Vapor 360s. However, his design has the people divided, with one side approving of the Off-White stamp, and the other questioning the authenticity of his involvement in the game. In Kim Jones’ case, there’s no statement given by the man that makes it sound like he’s a soccer head, but rather a nonchalant (and perhaps more believable) mention that he likes the sport. The focus of his shoe then lies on the purpose of the design and its aforementioned link back to Jones’ upbringing in Kenya and Botswana.

For us at Kicks to the Pitch, the Nike Mercurial Superfly 360 x Kim Jones boot falls exactly into our niche category of lifestyle and soccer, given the brand heritage of animal print, and how the Mercurials also followed the release of Nike’s Air Max 1 collaboration with Japanese sneaker and streetwear imprint Atmos. While animals patterns have been a recurring theme for not just Nike, but within the sneaker realm as a whole – think Vans, Supreme, Stussy, adidas, Jordan Brand, Reebok… the list goes on – Nike is without a doubt the head of the pack when it comes to tapping into the animal kingdom’s artwork. In fact, Nike and Atmos together have played a big role in imbuing the sneaker landscape with unmatched efforts in animal print; a case in point being the 2007 Atmos x Nike Air Max 1, Dunk & Court Force “Beast Pack.”

The recent release of the Atmos x Nike “Animal Pack,” however, which features the fur from the Leopard, Tiger, Zebra, Giraffe, and Horse, takes the whole animal print game to the next level. The combination of all five animals comes from the mind of Atmos’ creative director Hirofumi Kojima, and represents yet another example of when Nike trusts an outside creative to run with their wild ideas. Another example of that being Nike’s “What the” Dunks, and more recently the “What The” Mercurials. With the animal print – and the “What The” design for that matter – having expanded outside of lifestyle and into soccer territory, who knows what else we may be seeing in the near future, especially since the sport of soccer is really starting to make its way into more facets of both the mainstream and niche creative industries. Let’s just hope we get to see more authenticity within what’s to come as opposed to bandwagon jumping.

Nike Mercurial Superfly 360 x Kim Jones images by Richard Gordon