Football and fashion nowadays have become easy bedfellows.
The role of footballers, especially off the pitch, has completely changed over the last ten years.
The focus of brands is changing directly in proportion to the engagement rate that certain players can generate.
It’s a marked move we’re going to see going forward, with major fashion houses continuing to choose to connect with footballers in ambassadorial roles due to their growing off-field influence.
Much like the high-profile moves from Gucci to secure the services of English midfielder Jack Grealish and South Korean Heung-min Son’s partnership with Burberry, an athlete’s international social influence is indelible.
This is the reason why the 34-year-old Real Madrid striker, Karim Benzema, has become the latest footballer to become a major fashion imprint.
After securing deals and partnerships with companies across sectors like Adidas, Hyundai and Jean Paul Gaultier, the UEFA Men’s Player of The Year was announced as Italian luxury brand Fendi’s latest ambassador.
The role will revolve around the label’s new Faster sneaker—a low-top model that fuses Fendi’s luxury codes with high-performance details.
Fendi Faster sneakers
“Featuring technical fabrics and high-end athletic touches, the Fendi Faster Sneaker is balanced by the characteristic luxury which the Fendi Maison brings to each of its designs,” the Italian fashion house wrote in a statement.
When asked why they considered Benzema for the role, the brand responded, “In its finely tuned performance and finely honed detail, the Fendi Faster forms an ideal companion to Benzema’s own unique and inimitable skill, style, and strong personality.”
This is not the first time Benzema has sported Fendi.
Back in 2021, Benzema posed for Fendi’s newest collection and their #FendiPeekABoo campaign.
