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Nike enlists Jacquemus for France’s soccer team collection launch
Nike has enlisted a star to present the new jerseys of the French soccer team. However, it’s not a PSG personality, but a Paris Fashion Week darling, Simon Porte Jacquemus. Jean-Paul Goude, who photographed the campaign launched by the American equipment manufacturer and the French Football Federation, highlighted a younger generation of players, along with French creatives.
The designer posed in the iconic Mariniere blue and white stripe shirt on the "official" photo from the collection, a jersey that players from France’s team will wear at the next World Cup in Russia in June. The aerial shot, in true Jean-Paul Goude style, also includes players Kylian Mbappé, Ousmane Dembélé, Sakina Karchaoui and Samuel Umtiti, as well as rapper Niska and actress Oulaya Amamra. "This visual could be called Sports Allegory," the photographer said in a statement. "This is the image of a new French generation without limit, without complex, united towards a common future.”
A few days after Simon Porte Jacquemus confirmed his intention to launch his first men's collection, the designer posed with the world’s top athletes. Nike regularly calls on designers, from Tisci to Sacaï via its Nike Lab project. Designer Virgil Abloh revisited ten flagship sneaker models last year. The link sometimes also even includes performers, as with Kim Jones who recently came up with a design for the Mercurial Superfly 360 soccer shoe.
With the dates of the next Paris Men's Fashion Week (from the 19th to Sunday, June 24, 2018) and those of the Soccer World Cup (from June 14) intersecting, one might be tempted to imagine Jacquemus' men, walking with a certain check mark on their foot, or even a revisited shirt from the French sports team, Les Bleus. Nike, however, says there is no joint project in the works.
The Nike collection created for France’s team, which will be seen on the field as well as on the players at all times of day, already references fashion. The iconic Mariniere blue and white stripe is back for the team’s warm-up shirt and the team’s home match attire, which plays on an interpretation of the tricolor jersey, featuring a button-up collar adding a certain elegance to the jerseys.
The collection is primarily technical, using Vaporknit technology for the jerseys and Nike Grip for the socks, and the key point remains the representation of French attributes. “At first glance, the shirt appears plain white. However, close inspection reveals a subtle red and blue hyper-speckle knit through the body,” Nike said in a statement.
The French flag will also be displayed at each match at the time of the anthems: players will wear jackets featuring the three colors of the Tricolore to recreate the national banner.
Jerseys are 140 euros and the replicas are 85 euros. The Mariniere blue and white stripe warm-up shirt will be sold at 55 euros, while the jackets will be sold at 200 euros and 80 euros for replicas.
As a bonus, Nike will also be offering jersey customization via its website. The brand has already held events with customization workshops, but the digital version will be open before the World Cup where customers can add embroidery and choose the number of stars on their jerseys. The most imaginative customers could also see their creation purchased by other customers and be rewarded with royalties.
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