Football x Fashion
Create football-inspired fashion
Do you love to sew, or swear by upcycling? Do you have bags of imagination? Do you dream of seeing your creations parade down the catwalk? Then this is for you!
As part of its next edition, which will take place on the 3rd, 4th and 5th October 2024 in Les Marolles, the event Art+People is working with artist Ahilan Ratnamohan on a choreographed fashion show that will bring together the worlds of football and fashion.
The models will all come from a (semi-)professional or amateur football background in Brussels.
As for the show itself, it will feature a series of silhouettes inspired by the world of football and created by designers, fashion schools and… maybe even YOU!
To find out how, read on.
Aim
The aim of this project is to dream up and create fashion inspired by and/or designed for football, going beyond the commercial collaborations we are used to seeing from the likes of Nike or Adidas, or from major clubs such as Arsenal, PSG or AC Milan.
We want YOUR help to imagine what haute couture made for footballers, with footballers and maybe even by footballers would look like. Who knows?
It’s important to bear in mind that all the designs selected will be worn by sports people (M/F/X) as part of a fashion or runway show.
What’s in it for you?
Each designer selected for the show will receive the sum of 300 EUR per silhouette to cover any alterations and adaptations, as well as their presence at the fittings and show.
At the end of the event, designers will be able to collect their silhouette(s).
Some silhouettes may also be acquired by the Musée Mode & Dentelle de la Ville de Bruxelles.
All silhouettes selected for the show will be professionally shot and published in the form of a lookbook featuring all the show’s creations.
Conditions
Who can participate?
· The call is open to any individual or group with a minimum level of sewing expertise: experienced stylists, young graduates or students in styling/clothing, self-taught or sewing enthusiasts, sewing or upcycling workshops, etc.
· Participants can be individuals or groups (schools, sewing classes, associations, etc.).
· Participants must live, study or have their head office in Brussels (19 municipalities).
· Participants must commit to taking part in at least one community meeting during the process.
PS: if you have your own brand or company, as a designer you can enter the silhouette under your brand or company name.
Which silhouettes?
· Silhouettes submitted must be 100% made from upcycled materials, at least 50% of which must come from the world of soccer (see downloadable list).
· They must have been specifically designed for this call for entries.
· They can be M-F-Unisex. For sizes, you can use as a reference size M for women and L for men (see size guide).
· They must be complete, i.e. able to dress the same mannequin from head to toe (top+bottom).
· They must fall into one of 3 categories: Football Wear, Prêt-à-porter, Extravaganza.
· It can be a collective creation if the silhouette is created by a group or collective.
Planning
December 8, 2023: Community meeting
February 23, 2024: Community meeting
March 10, 2024: Participant registration
April 19, 2024: Community meeting
May 22: Deadline for submission of silhouettes and artworks
Early June: Jury
June 19: Call results
Community Meetings
To ensure the success of the project, we ask you to immerse yourself as fully as possible in the world of football. Don’t hesitate to meet players and attend training sessions.
It’s vital that you share your creation with a footballer at least once during the design process. The aim is not necessarily to adapt your design based on their feedback, but to listen to the interpretation that will be made by someone who practises this sport regularly.
Three or four community meetings will be organised throughout the project development process to give you the opportunity to meet and talk to stylists and footballers and immerse yourself in their world.
The next Community meeting will take place on April 19, 2024 from 3 to 6 pm at Charles Gheude Institute, Rue des Tanneurs 41, 1000 Brussels.
How do you get involved?
PHASE 1:
For all silhouette submissions, prior registration is required by March 10, 2024 via the registration form below. This includes your full name, address, telephone number, e-mail address and bank account.
PHASE 2 (Football Wear and Prêt à Porter categories):
For the “Football Wear” and “Prêt à Porter” categories, finalized silhouettes must be submitted by May 20, 21 or 22, 2024 at the latest. The place and time of submission will be communicated at a later date. Selection will be made in early June by a jury of fashion and soccer professionals.
You can enter one or more complete silhouettes, in one or more categories.
Each silhouette must be accompanied by an identity sheet (to be completed below). This includes the model’s name (if any), a text explaining your proposal and 4 photos of your silhouette (front, back and both sides). If the silhouette is made up of several parts, please keep them well assembled.
You will receive an acknowledgement of receipt for each silhouette submitted.
PHASE 2 (Extravaganza category):
For the “Extravaganza” category, selection will be based on an artistic dossier (drawing, moodboard, collage,…your choice) to be submitted by May 22, 2024 and will be carried out, at the beginning of June, by a jury made up of professionals from the fashion and soccer worlds.
The artistic file must contain :
· The participant’s CV
· A note of intent on the proposal
· A moodboard with sufficient detail to understand the aesthetic and technical challenges of the proposed silhouette.
For printed files, the place and time of submission will be communicated at a later date. Digital submissions must be sent to artpluspeople@brucity.be.
Each artistic file must be accompanied by a copy of your registration form.
You will receive an acknowledgement of receipt for each submission.
Resources and annexes
Need help or inspiration?
Raw materials
If you don’t have the means or the time to source raw materials, you can help yourself to our stocks at community meetings. Please note that stock is limited!
Inspiration
To give you a few ideas and boost your creativity, we’ve put together a few examples of designs by major brands and fashion designers using football materials. Beyond that, let your imagination run wild!
Advice
You can also find a whole series of advice sheets on our website artpluspeople.brussels
Community Meetings
At the community meetings, you can meet established designers and footballers, among others, with whom you can discuss and develop your creations.
The content of these community meetings will be tailored to your wishes and needs. Don’t hesitate to let us know what you want to see and take part in our surveys!
Questions? Suggestions?
Write to us at artpluspeople@brucity.be
