Soccer (or “football,” according to the rest of the world), as it happens, is quite a sartorial sport… when Robert Cavalli is involved in making it so, that is.
Paul Surridge, the brand‘s creative director, designed 11 footballs for the Pitti Immagine Uomo 94 project “Fanatic Feelings- Fashion Plays Football”, curated by Marcus Ebner and Francesco Bonami, which happens to coincide with the which kicks off this week on Thursday and runs through July.
Unlike the traditional football, Cavalli’s one-of-a-kind pieces are not meant to be played with. Instead, the flamboyant designs—in prints that are part of the SS19 men’s collection—are a craft of very graphic and camouflage effects along with the prominent Roberto Cavalli logos mean to represent the powerful language of graphics in sport.
The 11 pieces are made in Italy out of genuine leather and exotic python skins, hand-crafted one-by-one by Italian artisans within the Roberto Cavalli house. T hey are aspirational luxury design objects rather than simply sport gear.
Even better, they give back. Some of the footballs will be showcased and retailed in top Roberto Cavalli flagship boutiques worldwide such as Milan, Rome, Paris, London and Berlin in order to best celebrate the 2018 World Cup, while others will be sold in a dedicated “Market” pop-up store.
The generated revenues will be donated to The Foundation “Together To Go ONLUS”, supporting children with a free of charge rehabilitation program to recover from affects by Central Nervous System lesions in Milan.
