Never did I think, when setting out on a career in fashion journalism, that I would end up writing about football. And yet the fashion-sport crossover has struck again—this time perfectly timed for the summer of football, with the Champions League just coming to a close and the World Cup 2026 starting today. And it spans far further than the sea of Arsenal shirts currently doing the rounds in North London.
Tommy Hilfiger has partnered with Liverpool FC. Grace Wales Bonner has released a re-edition of Adidas's Predator football boot in snake print. Selfridges has opened a FIFA World Cup pop-up, and Jacquemus and Nike have collaborated with the Fédération Française de Football on a World Cup capsule collection.
Add to that the fact that Romeo Beckham—member of the most famous family in football—has just launched a vintage football-inspired clothing range, Intra. That Simone Rocha's Autumn/Winter 26 collection drew heavily on the sport. Martine Rose's latest Nike collection is titled The Lionesses with a football-inspired website to match. And that every single person in the Marie Claire office, football fan or otherwise, is pinning Stella Jean's jersey outfits to their summer moodboard. The football fashion moment is no isolated incident.
Stella Jean, in particular, takes the typical football kit well beyond jeans and trainers, turning it into something closer to a patriotic fashion statement—effortlessly cool and entirely moodboard-worthy. A look sure to be widely recreated once the World Cup properly gets underway.
As Soccer Bible puts it, football culture remains luxury fashion's sharpest reference point. Track tops, jerseys and shorts have long served as inspiration across the luxury sphere—though this season, a more literal approach appears to have been taken, right down to Prada's very own black leather football.
And the appetite only seems to be growing. As Sky Sports reports, women now make up 35% of the total football fanbase, while 31% of adults in England are specifically interested in women's football—a number that continues to rise. Interest in the trend, I suspect, will follow suit.
Ready to tap in? Here's how we're wearing it, Stella Jean style.
3 Ways to Style Your Football Shirt the Stella Jean Way
Football Shirt + Statement Accessories
A statin skirt, gold-tone sandals and elaborate accessories will make any World Cup watch party outfit a standout. This look feels especially Stella Jean.
Football-Inspired Top + Printed Trousers
If you know you won't get any wear out of an actual football shirt once the World Cup is over, best to invest in a football-inspired pick instead, like this Martine Rose find. Patterned trousers and a statement bag will make it all the more impactful for any watch party.
England Shirt + Bold Skirt
Fancy putting your patriotic foot forward? There are ways to make the traditional England football shirt feel more chic. Take a bold hued midi skirt, heeled sandals and a sleek tote bag as just one example.
