BBC GOES OUT OF THIS WORLD FOR ITS WC-INSPIRED CAPSULE

Although this year’s World Cup is far behind us, that doesn’t mean we need to forget and move on from the one-in-every-four year event. In fact, all the better to remember its impact to help spur on more culture surrounding the sport. Especially out here in the States, given that we, along with our neighbors Mexico and Canada, will be hosting the global tournament in 2026 following Qatar for 2022 (the first Arab state to host the World Cup). To help keep our soccer spirits up, up and away, we have Billionaire Boys Club: the fashion brand/retailer and brainchild of both Pharrell Williams and BAPE founder NIGO.

For its Summer 2018 NYC-exclusive capsule collection, the premium streetwear label has delivered a vibrant and whimsical array of athletic pieces inspired by the recently passed World Cup. The drop includes a range of silhouettes, from player jerseys to goalie long-sleeves, warm-up suits, short and more. The main attraction for the collection as a whole, however, is it’s diverse and fun designs that features tie-dye, camo, and classic soccer stripes patterning, as well as BBC’s classic space-centric motifs. Details include “7 Mercer” and “212” notes that nods to the brand’s NYC flagship.

To showcase the pieces in use, courtesy of the kind people at Billionaire Boys Club, we decided to explore our own urban landscape for the setting of our original fashion editorial, which you can see throughout. The pieces are currently available at BBC’s NYC flagship store, so be sure to stop by if you’re in the area:

BBC Flagship Store
7 Mercer St, New York, NY 10012

SOCCER IS A CREATIVE TOOL, LET’S USE IT

The 2026 FIFA World Cup vote declared a join hosting effort between the US, Mexico and Canada. This has provided a major opportunity for the North American soccer scene to cultivate not only future national team stars, but a bustling creative scene offering a special dimension to the World’s biggest game.

adidas has revealed a content piece aiming to inspire a young and creative generation to embrace the opportunity that has risen with North America getting the 2026 World Cup. The film was created in Los Angeles and highlights that adidas look to collaborate with local artists and storytellers.

But what does the mean for the game itself? Soccer is much more than just what occurs on the pitch, it’s a culture and a lifestyle that many live through on a daily basis. And this is what adidas is looking to capture during this film, showing that is a tool that can be used to enhance the lives of young talented creators who want to find a route into the game they love.

The new campaign focused on the North America World Cup is a brand extension of adidas’ Creativity is the Answer, which calls filmmakers, photographers, artists and more from major cities around the world to co-create and shape the brand narrative.

Giovanni Reyna told adidas, “being creative on the field helps the rest of the country want to play the game and want to enjoy the game.” A resonating statement from the young NYCFC player because adidas is calling to embrace the creativity and if you do, it inspires others to create themselves.

“I think creativity is a way to connect to other people, it allows people to connect to each other and how can we push each other to be creative, says local artist Geoff Gouveia and this seems to be what adidas’ are tapping in to, to show that a wave of creativity in various sectors can develop the effort on the pitch for the national sides.

Soccer is synonymous with art. It’s a beautiful form of self-expression and creativity allowing you to provide an image that represents yourself, a brand or a cause. And this needs to be capitalised on more from global brands. There is a major opportunity for young creators to provide something special for the World Cup, showcasing what North America has to offer creatively and using this flow can really draw on the emotions of the nations’ soccer teams to really enhance belief and performance.

This creative movement that adidas’ is looking to kick-start is something that can inspire a younger generation of soccer players themselves. Not only are they calling for artists, filmmakers and other creative professions, but for the player themselves to get creative. Play with freedom. Play with belief. Play with creativity. And using a creative revolution like they are, a forceful effort can be employed to inspire the players and improve the talent generated.

For more information visit http://www.adidas.com/us/soccer and join the conversation on Twitter and Instagram with #HereToCreate.