How Arsenal is Paving the Way Forward in Football Fashion

Football continues to influence mainstream fashion. We’re not just talking about “It girls” like Bella Hadid wearing football kits, causing Google searches for ‘English jerseys’ to spike by over 623% during the Euros—Vogue Business notes that football fashion also has to do with the rise of what’s now called the ‘blokecore’ aesthetic.  

With sports merch taking over everyday wear for both men and women, more designer labels are collaborating with activewear brands to meet the demand. One great example of this is Conner Ive’s collection of vintage football kits. Debuted during the Spring/Summer 2024 season, it sold out in just a week. This highlights a growing dedication to making sports culture more inclusive through fashion—as well as how eagerly that commitment is being received.

These efforts don’t discount the context where football culture thrives, either. Instead, fashion brands also work closely with football clubs on the ground to further ensure accuracy and inclusivity—and among the teams that help fuel football fashion fever, Arsenal certainly stands out for taking advantage of this trend in multiple ways. Now, the club is paving the way forward in football fashion. Here’s how:

Stylish players

Supporting their player’s ventures off the pitch is one way football clubs can widen their appeal and attract more fans, and Arsenal is known for helping many of its own players balance football with their other interests. That’s allowed many Arsenal players to combine studies with their sporting careers, including former right-back Héctor Bellerín. At roughly the same time he played for Arsenal, he was also earning degrees in marketing and fashion at the University of Westminster, and that allowed him to develop his own career as a fashion designer down the line. 

In June 2024, he launched his own label, Gospel Estudios. Described as a ‘not-ready-to-wear’ brand, its made-to-order clothing collections challenge fast fashion trends in line with increasing consumer demand for sustainable and ethically-produced pieces. Though Bellerín now plays for Real Betis, he first rose to prominence with Arsenal—and the initial support the club provided him has paid off as he aims to attract more fans with similar interests in fashion and sustainability to his fledgling brand. And this is something that current right back Ben White is also venturing into with his fashion brand 

Modelling gigs 

The football-player-to-model pipeline pioneered by David Beckham is now considered one of the best ways for clubs to increase exposure for team members. That's likely why Arsenal doesn’t hesitate to put its own players on the runway. In doing so, however, it ensures that they work with the most influential brands on the market—including Prada.

The luxury label is already known for its forays into sportswear. In 2023, for example, it collaborated with adidas to release its first-ever football collection, which combines meticulous craftsmanship with cutting-edge footwear technology.

This attention to detail extends to Prada sunglasses, including the popular Linea Rossa frames that inspired the football boots it created with adidas. Renowned for marrying traditional and modern eyewear styles with full sun protection and functionality, these sunglasses have been worn by many professional athletes—including baseball player Mark Canha, who was spotted donning frames from Prada’s sports performance line in 2022. That’s why it’s no surprise that Arsenal chose to work with the brand, dressing Declan Rice up in Prada suits for his first editorial cover shoot for CircleZeroEight Magazine in 2022 and multiple red-carpet football events—including this year’s PFA Awards.

Given the prestige that comes with the Prada brand, these strategic moves helped build Rice’s brand, gave him more exposure, and improved his post-football career prospects, with the footballer ultimately making his runway debut in September 2024. 

Fashion-forward collaborations 

Arguably the biggest way Arsenal is increasing its visibility through fashion is by coming out with its own stylish apparel. Much like how luxury brands are buying into football fashion fever, these releases centre around inclusivity. In July, the Gunners worked with Labrum—the same brand that gave Rice his first opportunity on a runway—to come up with its first-ever collection of away kits.

Designed to highlight and pay homage to British-African heritage and the Arsenal players who identify with it, the release consisted of black shirts boasting vibrant African patterns, which Nwankwo Kanu—who made nearly 200 appearances for Arsenal between 1999 and 2004—described as ‘represent[ing] our connection to players of African descent and our supporters in our communities in Islington and around the world.’

The launch of the away shirt was accompanied by a set of jackets, shirts, jumpers, and tracksuit bottoms, the result of a multifaceted collaboration between Arsenal, Labrum, and adidas. Just three months later, the club continued to leverage the football fashion trend, this time launching a new collection with Aries streetwear. Dedicated to fans around the world, the line extends beyond tracksuits and kits to caps, scarves, and jewellery.

The inclusive, unisex release, enriched with further input from players including Rice, Bukayo Saka and Martin Odengaard, is something that the club is particularly proud of, with Arsenal stating that it ‘showcases Arsenal and Aries’ shared values of togetherness and community.’ 

Thanks to these efforts, Arsenal stands out as one of the most fashion-forward football clubs today. By supporting its players, working with trusted brands, and playing into themes of inclusivity, it continues to blaze a trail for football fashion in ways that help it cement its fanbase even further.