Adidas and Puma Seize Soccer's Fashion Trend to Expand Customer Base

LONDON: Leading sportswear brands such as Adidas and Puma are capitalizing on the growing synergy between soccer and fashion, targeting a broader customer base. This trend has been spurred in part by the heightened interest generated by the successful Women's World Cup this summer.

Prominent figures like Kim Kardashian have been seen attending matches and donning soccer jerseys, demonstrating the crossover appeal. Even soccer clubs are recognizing the potential for new merchandising opportunities. One English Premiership team has gone as far as hiring a creative director to diversify its apparel offerings, while Adidas, in a bold move, unveiled an "exclusively off-pitch" apparel collection for some of the major teams it sponsors in September.

Richard Busby, CEO of sponsorship consultancy BDS Sponsorship, remarked, "The love affair between football and fashion is just starting."

The Women's World Cup highlighted a significant untapped demand for soccer-related merchandise among women. For instance, Nike faced criticism for not offering replica kits for England's Mary Earps and other goalkeepers during the competition. However, the fashion-forward trend extends to fans of both genders. Busby noted that "Premiership clubs have many affluent supporters, but few of the items they offer cater to their tastes, be it for men or women."

This trend has prompted clubs to rethink their approach to jersey design. Second-division Greek football club Athens Kallithea, for example, has given its jerseys a makeover, portraying women wearing the unisex tops with satin skirts, styled as smart casual clothing suitable for dining out. These new ranges are designed to attract a broader audience beyond the club's traditional fan base.

Celebrities like Kim Kardashian have been seen sporting vintage Roma and Paris Saint-Germain shirts, while model Mia Regan paired an Arsenal shirt with a long denim skirt and boots during a Paris Fashion Week show in October.

In a strategic move, Crystal Palace hired Kenny Annan-Jonathan as a creative director focused on apparel in August. His role is expected to expand the range of clothing offered by the Premier League club.

Both Adidas and Puma have traditionally been associated with streetwear and pop culture. However, their substantial investment in soccer, as reported by GlobalData, with two-thirds of their annual sponsorship expenditure dedicated to the sport, suggests the potential for significant gains as soccer becomes more intertwined with fashion. For Nike, which also invests heavily in basketball and college sports, soccer represents 48% of its annual sponsorship expenditure, according to GlobalData.

"We are experiencing hype around football jerseys and general designs influenced by football culture across streetwear and fashion,"

Heiko Desens.

Puma is actively fueling this excitement with its recent footwear collaboration with pop star Rihanna's Fenty brand, which launched last month. The collection includes trainers inspired by the cleats worn by the legendary Brazilian soccer player Pele. The campaign featured Rihanna inside a giant deconstructed soccer ball, and the shoes sold out on the day of release, with prices ranging from $160 to $170.

Adidas, on the other hand, introduced a new apparel range for clubs like Arsenal, Bayern Munich, Juventus, Manchester United, and Real Madrid in September. The range includes crop tops and dresses made in a jersey knit with subtle club branding, designed to cater to both active football players and those drawn to football culture.

The fusion of high fashion and soccer has also made its mark, with Italian label Prada collaborating with Adidas on soccer cleats, retailing for $595 a pair.

Liverpool and Newcastle United are following the trend and actively seeking creative directors, a move that could reshape the relationship between Premier League clubs and their sponsoring brands.

Athens Kallithea and Italy's Venezia FC have employed savvy social media campaigns to sell apparel globally, even with a smaller fan base. Ted Philipakos, president and creative director of Athens Kallithea, noted that teams from the Premier League and Bundesliga had reached out to learn from their strategy.

In this evolving landscape, maintaining a delicate balance between tradition and innovation is crucial. Philipakos emphasized the need for nuance and sensitivity when expanding beyond the core culture, as it carries the potential for tension with existing fans.