The adidas collection inspired by the Champions League ball

With the proliferation of tunnel fits and the introduction of new, unique kits produced by the formal wear brands that sponsor Europe's biggest clubs, the intertwining of football and fashion continues to grow inexorably. Just a few days after the debut of the co-branding between Real Madrid, Y-3 and adidas, the latter have created a one-off special collection called UCL Pro Ball London, inspired by the design of the ball that will be used in the 2023/24 Champions League final in London. It is an upcycled collection: the main materials used to make the garments are polyurethane and recycled polyester from the ball, combined with locally sourced, used leather parts. The collection consists of vests, bomber jackets, duffel bags, smaller travel bags and a cap. The only garment to be unveiled in the next few days is the bomber jacket, created by up-and-coming designer Sophie Hird. The young Londoner said she was inspired by speedway, a sport very similar to motocross, where riders usually wear leather jackets with stars and stripes.

For the launch of the jacket, two footballers were selected to wear it during the upcoming Champions League matches. Jules Koundé and Rodrigo De Paul, two footballers with a recognizable style who will play with their teams on Tuesday 12 and Wednesday 13 against Napoli and Inter Milan respectively. The travel selection of the collection was instead designed by Helen Kirkum and is inspired by the sumptuous leather duffel bags that basketball and football players use to travel to the sports venues on match day. Finally, the cap was made by Fungibles. It's basically a replica of a helmet and undoubtedly the most daring piece in the collection, so the chances of even two footballers like De Paul and Koundé wearing it are nil. What makes the collection even more important is the fact that it was designed with the opinions and tastes of Atletico Madrid and Barcelona's talents in mind, who have expressed their preferences for the jacket's design, making it essentially a bespoke piece.