Hidetoshi Nakata is one of the most renowned footballers to have come out of Japan. Before retiring in 2017, Nakata made 77 appearances for their national team, scoring 11 goals.
Nakata had over 360 career appearances at the domestic level, including 21 in the Premier League for Bolton Wanderers.He also had memorable stints in Italy for clubs like AS Roma, Parma and Perguia and ended his domestic career with 52 goals.
While Nakata loved to dazzle on the pitch, he’s always been a bit of a fashion trendsetter too. The Japanese legend loves to keep himself in top physical shape and wear gorgeous outfits.
Italian photographer Andrea Tenereni claimed in 2004 that Nakata is ‘perfect… like a model, and totally obsessed with fashion.’
Calvin Klein’s then-creative director Italo Zuchelli reiterated in 2006 that Hidetoshi ‘plays with fashion… but in a cooler, more sophisticated way than many others’.
It seems he’s now bagged a new deal with Italian luxury fashion brand Stone Island.
The 44-year-old has fronted the brand’s SS25 collection and been chosen to be involved in their ‘community as a form of research’ project.
He can be seen wearing Stone Island’s 4100022 Raso Gommato 3L Laser Camo jacket in promo pictures.
This particular field jacket, which has a waterproof and windproof membrane, costs well over £1,700 (plus shipping) on their official website.
Nakata also accompanies some major celebrities as part of this project. Indeed, Stone Island’s SS25 collection also features Hollywood director Spike Lee. It also features musician John Glacier and British rapper Giggs.
Stone Island decided to choose the Japanese legend because of how well he carries off different outfits. Nakata is no stranger for being involved in fashion shows. He has attended multiple events for Louis Vuitton and Chanel.
The 44-year-old is particular about the kind of attires he wears. He ensures they fit him perfectly and likes experimenting with different attires too.
In an interview on November 2016 issue of Inquirer RED, Nakata credited his time playing in Italy to have enhanced his fashion senses –
The things we use every day, from food to clothing, all hold great importance to us.
Why do we care so much about what we eat? Because we eat every day. Why do we care so much about what we wear? Because we wear clothes every day, and what we wear can make us happy.
I started liking fashion more when I lived in Italy, but even someone who doesn’t travel much or hasn’t had that much extraordinary experience can develop that deep appreciation for what they wear, what they eat, what they consume.
To appreciate something, you must have some knowledge about it. If you don’t know what you’re eating or wearing, it’d be hard for you to appreciate food or fashion. If you don’t try to get to know a person, how could you learn to understand and love them? When we lack knowledge, it’s hard for us to see someone’s or something’s value.
Stone Island has a proper cult following amongst football fans
The brand has been a beloved one for football fans since the 1980s. Stone Island was created in 1982 by designer Massimo Osti, and it took a few years for it to really gain prominence.
After the 1984 UEFA Champions League final, the Liverpool fans travelling to Rome were impressed by seeing the kind of attires worn by the AS Roma fans. The Stone Island emblem inspired the English supporters to buy some merchandise and bring it back to the UK, where it gained more popularity.
For a period, the Stone Island logo was even linked to hooligalism in England. That is because a lot of rowdy young fans often wore their ‘compass badge’ onto their attires. Fans often wore attached the detachable badge onto their clothes. The symbol became a mark of football fan culture and help individuals stand out as one of the ‘football lads’.
Over the decades, the popularity of Stone Island has remained among football fans and individuals. In a friendly match in 2018, Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola even wore the badge on his arm. That is probably why fronting for Stone Island is a matter of pride for Nakata and one that’ll help increase his popualarity even further.
