Leading sportswear brands like Adidas and Puma are strategically leveraging the growing intersection of soccer and fashion to expand their reach to a new customer base. This trend has been catalyzed, in part, by the successful 2023 Women’s World Cup, which has garnered attention from celebrities such as Kim Kardashian, often spotted at matches donning soccer jerseys. Soccer clubs are also exploring fresh opportunities for merchandising, with one Premier League team appointing a creative director to diversify its clothing offerings. Adidas has already made its move in this space by introducing an «exclusively off-pitch» apparel collection for select top-tier teams it sponsors.
According to Richard Busby, CEO of sponsorship consultancy BDS Sponsorship, the fusion of football and fashion is just beginning. The Women’s World Cup underscored a significant unmet demand for soccer-related merchandise designed for women. Nike faced criticism for not offering replica kits for players like England’s Mary Earps and other goalkeepers.
This trend extends to fashion-conscious fans of all genders. Busby points out that «Premier League clubs have many affluent supporters, but very few of the items they sell appeal to them, whether they’re men or women.»
Even second-division Greek football club Athens Kallithea is giving its jerseys a stylish makeover. Their campaigns showcase women wearing unisex jerseys paired with satin skirts, creating a smart-casual look suitable for dinner outings. These initiatives aim to reach a broader audience beyond the club’s traditional fan base.
Fashion’s Influence on Football Culture
Adidas and Puma have long been synonymous with streetwear and pop culture. However, they’re now actively capitalizing on the increasing synergy between soccer and fashion. According to a recent GlobalData report, both German companies allocate the majority of their annual sponsorship budgets to soccer. For Nike, which also invests significantly in basketball and college sports, soccer represents a substantial portion of its annual sponsorship spending.
Puma’s global creative director, Heiko Desens, notes, «We are witnessing a surge in enthusiasm for football jerseys and designs influenced by football culture across streetwear and fashion.»
Puma is actively fueling this excitement with its latest collaboration with pop star Rihanna’s Fenty brand. The recent launch featured a trainer inspired by the legendary Brazilian soccer player Pele’s cleats. Priced at $170 for a silver colorway and $160 for a black and white model, these shoes sold out on Puma’s website on the day of their release.
Graham Renwick, an analyst at Berenberg, highlights that Puma has a higher sales exposure to women than Adidas or Nike. The original Rihanna partnership in 2015 was highly effective in building strong demand and credibility with female consumers. With the relaunch of this partnership, Puma aims for a similar response.
Adidas’s apparel range for top clubs like Arsenal, Bayern Munich, Juventus, Manchester United, and Real Madrid, launched in September, includes crop tops and dresses made from jersey knit, featuring subtle club branding. Adidas emphasizes, «We want to cater to the needs of both active football players and those attracted by football culture.»
High fashion is also getting involved. In May, Italian label Prada collaborated with Adidas to create soccer cleats in three colorways, including white, retailing at $595 per pair.
Notably, Premier League clubs like Liverpool and Newcastle United are also in the hunt for creative directors, marking a trend that could reshape the relationship between these clubs and their sponsor brands.
Smaller clubs like Athens Kallithea and Italy’s Venezia FC have harnessed the power of slick social media campaigns to sell their apparel globally, despite having a smaller fanbase. Ted Philipakos, President and Creative Director of Athens Kallithea, acknowledges the challenges, saying, «There’s a risk of tension with existing fans whenever you start moving beyond the core culture. It’s a delicate balancing act that requires more nuance and sensitivity than many big clubs tend to have.»
