Designers kick off a season of soccer chic
Fashion has a new sex symbol: the soccer player, who joins rock and movie stars as icons of male style.
From Giorgio Armani to Dolce and Gabbana, from Donatella Versace to Vivienne Westwood, the ready-to-wear designers showing their 2004-05 men’s winter wares on the Milan runway are courting Europe’s soccer heroes.
They are dedicating photo exhibits and books to the sport, asking players to model on the runway, showering them with invitations to shows and after-show parties, and above all drawing inspiration from their off-the-field style.
“They’re the new icons of contemporary style: young, quite often good-looking and very, very rich,” said Stefano Gabbana who along with partner Domenico Dolce dedicated a coffee-table book “Calcio” -- Italian for “soccer” -- to the sport and its players.
At a cocktail party Sunday, Giorgio Armani opened a photo exhibit entitled “Sport Faces,” featuring portraits of players from the Italian soccer league as well as other sports heroes, including Olympic track and field gold medalist Carl Lewis.
The exhibit will become a book later in the year with proceeds going to the Special Olympics.
It all started with David Beckham, English midfielder for Real Madrid and husband of former Spice Girl Victoria. His hip look, earring, blond ponytail, jeans and T-shirt under a loose-fitting jacket became a symbol of soccer chic.
The fashion world was quick to catch on. Last year, Dolce and Gabbana dedicated a collection to him and Armani gave Beckham’s name to one of his famous blazers.
Dolce and Gabbana opened the five days of preview showings Sunday, with lots of new options for the spiffy sportsman.
Amid metal outdoor cafe tables and a replica of Rome’s Trevi Fountain set up under a tent in the designing duo’s downtown Milan headquarters, models evoked the lore of “La Dolce Vita” and its hero, the late actor Marcello Mastroianni.
Suits with a three-buttoned jacket with marked shoulder and soft but never baggy trouser, three-quarter coats with sumptuous fur lining, classic camel-hair coats, and soft cashmere sweaters combine to create a relaxed but elegant look. The turtleneck under a suit harked back to the best of Mastroianni; the coat worn with T-shirt was contemporary Beckham.
Westwood filled her winter menswear wardrobe Sunday with kilts, high-heeled boots, hooded sweaters and stiff tight-fitting jackets reminiscent of the armor of a medieval warrior.
On hand with a bouquet of red roses to thank the designer at the end of show was Carlo Cudicini, the Italian goalkeeper for England’s Chelsea soccer team.
Burberry preferred to stick to its British guns, showing modern, tighter-fitting cardigans, velvet sports jackets and a series of luxurious printed trench coats reminiscent of the silk bathrobe.
Sitting in the front row at Donatella Versace was Ukrainian soccer hero Andriy Shevchenko, forward for Italy’s AC Milan. The handsome player can find lots of fun outfits in the designer’s Versus collection, aimed at the younger set with its oversized brightly printed T-shirts, leather bomber jackets with faded tartan pattern, and oh-so-tight jeans.
