In the world of football, when the merch drops, many loyal fans often make the purchase first and think of the expenses later whereas others hold off on the buying until the cost of the product reduces.
We can hope that football fans around the world have got sufficient savings as the month of March seems to be a big intertwining between football and sports fashion.
For example, recently Celtic FC announced the release of their 2023/24 Adidas Irish Origins collection with their jerseys for men and women costing around £50.
If this was not enough, Adidas has now recently showcased their one-of-a-kind fashion pieces inspired by the iconic UEFA Champions League Pro Ball.
Designed by London based designer Sophie Hird and Helen Kirkum Studios, the uniquely styled jacket and bag was worn by non-other than Jules Koundé.
Sophie Hird on their Instagram have posted multiple pictures of the French national team player wearing and striding gracefully with their custom jacket and bag while arriving at Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys ahead of the game against SSC Napoli.
In the pictures, the UCL Pro Ball design hold the center stage of the jacket as it’s bright orange and yellow color contrasts beautifully with its black background.
As Sophie Hird and Helen Kirkum are both proponents of up-cycling sportswear, it’s no surprise that the base of the jacket is made from locally sourced, second-hand leather jackets which was re-sewn into a new bomber-style giving the wearer an 80s inspired retro look.
As for the holder bag, its bright colors similar to that of the jacket and the design pattern being the UCL signature star emblem fits perfectly with the overall aesthetic of the piece.
Following its showcase however, the choice for the fans was not simply whether to buy it right away or later but the question arose whether this product is available in the first place.
Top comments on the post asking whether the bag or the jacket is available are not met with their desired responses.
On the Instagram post by Sophie Hird, one user asks where can they find that bag, to which the designer simply redirects them to Helen Kirkum Studio’s Instagram profile.
When the same user once again enquires regarding its cost on a reel displaying the bag’s detailed creation posted by the studio, they respond by saying “it’s not for sale.” Seems like a bad stroke of luck!
However, fans need not be disappointed just yet. In a comment on their reel, Helen Kirkum tags Adidas football saying “Maybe we could make a collection?”
Hence one can be hopeful that if this jacket and bag garners enough attention from fans, we might expect to finally see it released as a collection. Then we can get back onto deliberating whether it’s worth purchasing right away or later when the discount rates start to appear.