AFP – Fashion has always taken a close interest in the world of football and its biggest stars, but less so in the style of its fans.
Until now, that is, since the “blokecore” trend is turning football supporters into true fashion icons.
From the runways to Kim Kardashian’s wardrobe, the football jersey is the most stylish item of the moment.
Fashion or football?
There’s no need to choose, thanks to the rise of the latest fashion aesthetic, “blokecore”, which takes inspiration from the pitches and stands of the world’s greatest stadiums.
Not content with seducing sports fans, the trend is now making waves on social networks, TikTok in the lead, with nearly 100 million views for the #blokecore hashtag.
The phenomenon speaks volumes about the ever-closer links between the worlds of fashion and sport.
FOOTBALL AND FASHION
There are countless connections between the fashion and luxury industries and football, but until now, the biggest fashion houses have been content with signing up the services of star players, such as Kylian Mbappe, or collaborating with world-renowned teams or equipment manufacturers.
But this time, the trend is not coming from the industry, but from the street, or more precisely, from social networks, where users have decided to combine style and football, a duo that was previously considered incompatible.
Emerging in 2022, the “blokecore” aesthetic evidently gained momentum during the World Cup in Qatar, but instead of running out of steam after Argentina’s victory over France, it has continued to grow and become a real fashion phenomenon… much to the delight of football fans.
User Brandon Huntley is credited with the origin of this fashion trend, stemming from his inspiration of the moment.
The young man simply filmed himself wearing a football jersey, jeans and sneakers, with the message: “Hottest trend of 2022: blokecore.”
If it didn’t catch on right away, the aesthetic ended up going viral with no less than 200,000 views for the video, and, as we’ve seen, nearly 100 million views for the trend that has now conquered women – but especially men – all over the world.
However, to give credit where credit is due, the trend actually goes back several decades.
It finds its source in the United Kingdom (UK), where “bloke” is a colloquial term for “guy” or “dude”, and all in the aim of celebrating British football culture from the 1970s to the 1990s.
FROM THE STREET TO THE CATWALKS
Unlike other, more complex fashion aesthetics, the “blokecore” trend is characterised by a football jersey – most often a vintage model – worn with jeans and sneakers. Simple, basic.
Most of the jerseys spotted on the Chinese social network are linked to English clubs, but as the trend grows, so does the presence of shirts from other football nations, including France, Brazil, Italy, Croatia and Spain.
Note that the aesthetic is not only popular in Europe and the United States (US), but also in Asia.
On the social network Xiaohongshu, the hashtag #blokecore has exceeded seven million views, reported Jing Daily.
These codes of the street have since been adopted on the runway, with brands like Koche, Balenciaga and most recently, Wales Bonner, which have made the football jersey the star of the runway.
And that’s not all, as a host of fashion icons – more accustomed to showing off sumptuous couture gowns than supporters’ attire – have since appropriated the football jersey.
This is the case of Bella Hadid, as part of the campaign for Balenciaga and Adidas, but also of Kardashian, seen in recent months with a vintage Roma shirt, then a Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) jersey. Two outings that have not gone unnoticed, and that should contribute to the continuation of this new sportswear trend.
