One step further: interview with Nicoló Pirlo

There is no doubt that in recent years the worlds of football and fashion have been slowly drawing closer together season after season, like two continents about to collide. The impact, in reality, has not been so catastrophic; on the contrary, it has succeeded in giving life to a movement that in just a few years has gone from neighbourhood football pitches to the catwalks of Fashion Week. Two opposites that have managed to contaminate each other to the point of becoming almost part of each other, as the latest fashion shows show, where from Milan to Paris to London and New York we have seen at least one football-inspired garment or accessory on the catwalk. 

Two worlds that Nicoló Pirlo has confessed to us he intends to bring together further with "Ventidue", his new streetwear brand, which we officially announce on nss sports. A few days ago he invited us to Turin to discover with him his journey, announced via social media, which he has decided to undertake. A journey certainly not easy or obvious, not even for a son of art like him, but almost inevitable for him who has always lived with football in his family. "I thought I could try, with great passion and commitment. Hence the idea of reinterpreting some iconic and characteristic items from the world of football in a streetwear key, with a view to bringing some football-inspired and sporty pieces into the wardrobes of fans and non-fans alike. I'm talking about clear references to football culture, and not necessarily a mere reinterpretation of the aesthetics of the game applied to streetwear".

Before opening his own brand, 'Ventidue', a project as ambitious as his father's plays, Pirlo studied and explored the world of fashion and its increasingly close and direct links with football, to deliver to the public something that would unite his greatest passions. "The idea came from the fact that my father wore the number 21 shirt in his professional career. Having experienced his career in sport as a fan, I would like to pick up his footballing legacy by taking the field in a different sector, that of fashion, in the search for a marriage between football and streetwear. One step closer to his path, I'm the 22nd".

Football, predictably, played a central role in his life from the very beginning. You could say it's part of his DNA, as he himself tells us shortly before giving himself over to Laurent Bentil's lens, but despite this he never wanted to pursue a professional career. "I believe that everyone has to be aware of their own means and, even though I know I'm not fulfilling some fanciful expectations, playing football is not my path. I'm happy to be able to cultivate my passion for fashion, counting on my commitment, the affection of my family and those who follow me." However, football is not only about playing on the pitch, but above all it is defined by a series of gestures, rituals and details that then define the performance over 90 minutes. "Since I was a child, more than anything else, I have always been fascinated by the framework of professionalism, the attention to communication and image that distinguishes an athlete from an icon. From there, I got into fashion. Many footballers have gone down in history because, with their style and communication, they have promoted an image: just think of players like David Beckham or, more recently, Bellerin." 

But in addition to the icons of the past, Ventidue has many big surprises in store, which for obvious reasons Nicoló cannot reveal yet, although he does not rule out important participants in his project. As well as being supported by players of the calibre of Chiesa, Zaniolo, Kean and Kulusevski, young talents who represent the style Nicoló would like to tell us about, the brand will not be limited to involving only footballers. Pirlo confirmed that there will also be athletes involved in other disciplines, "I am convinced that, in order to export a culture like football off the field, it is appropriate to involve all fans."

But as well as the players to be involved, we also talked to Nicoló about future projects. We discussed the new aesthetics of Serie A, defined by the collaborations with fashion brands and the unreleased jerseys that have become cult cases. And who knows, maybe one day he too will try his hand at creating a club jersey through his brand. Despite the fact that the Ventidue project is unrelated to football, Nicoló tells us that he is carefully following that path as well, because technical kit design in football has become a great showcase for many streetwear brands. He tells us that he is following its development, indeed "I would be happy to take the opportunity to design a jersey if it came my way, although today the path I am trying to follow is off the pitch."

In fact, the football shirt has become a cult object that is no longer only related to the field of play, but from the fans to fashion, it has experienced an upheaval in meaning. Now it can no longer be considered mere performance material, and Nicoló knows this well. In fact, he tells us that he also believes that the jersey of the future will increasingly encounter the possibility of being worn in circumstances away from the stadium: "I have been to Marseille and huge steps have been taken in this direction there, although much is due to the attachment of the French population to football as a national culture. PSG, more than anyone else, is trying to enter the fashion world through the front door, also thanks to the testimonials they have at their disposal, who are now icons as well as footballers. In terms of flair and non-conformism, I feel closer to the third Inter shirt: it has a particular and unusual polish. I know the idea came from Moab, a very talented Italian artist who I've been following for some time, as he's also a great music fan."

While we wait to see what Ventidue has in store for us in the near future, Nicoló has already given us a few hints: "the idea I most appreciated, in fact, was the 'Football, mon amour' collection by Nike x Off White, signed by Virgil Abloh. It is undoubtedly the attempt that comes closest to my idea. On the pitch, however, the most successful collaboration was the Adidas x Pharrell 'Human Race Jersey Collection."

On the other hand, "Football Mon Amour" was one of the collections that paved the way for football in the fashion world and was part of the flow of revaluation of football shirts within the streetwear aesthetic, starting with Patta and Palace and then arriving on the catwalks, on which Virgil went with his usual omnivorous and iconoclastic profile. After the last photos and the last clues, our chat ends in a hybrid field halfway between football and basketball, a metaphorically perfect place for Nicoló who is now ready to take that extra step and leave the rest behind, guided solely and exclusively by his passions.

Ph: Laurent Bentil