Football is no stranger to collaborations when it comes to shirts, kits and fashion.
Paris Saint-Germain have their link-up with Jordan, while Adidas teamed up with Pharrell Williams in 2020-21 to create bespoke Bayern Munich, Manchester United, Juventus, Arsenal and Real Madrid jerseys. Juve also had their collaboration with Adidas and skate brand Palace in 2019, and Ajax even drew on inspiration from Bob Marley for their 2021-22 third kit.
Now one of Italy’s biggest soccer clubs, AC Milan, have launched their own fashion range in collaboration with Major League Baseball giants the New York Yankees.
But if you’re imaging Zlatan Ibrahimovic decked out in one of those classic baggy striped uniforms once sported by Babe Ruth, or a sepia-tinged Gerrit Cole resplendent in red-and-black kit resembling a young Franco Baresi, then think again.
The collection is said to be “inspired by the cultural impact of Milan and New York and combines the elegance of Milanese design with the streetwise spirit of New York.” So it’s more the sort of thing you’ll see Christian Pulisic or Ruben Loftus-Cheek wearing when out for dinner in the Brera neighbourhood, or Aaron Judge and Juan Soto having a bite on the Upper West Side.
The design sees the Yankees’ logo interlock with Milan’s — the first time the iconic NY emblem has been merged into a new badge with another sporting organisation — in the year that the Serie A giants mark their 125th anniversary.
The collection includes t-shirts, hoodies, sweaters, cardigans, baseball caps, baseballs, playing cards and a notebook. All have the famous crests of the seven-time European champions and the 27-time World Series winners in various arrangements and combinations.
Milan already have a host of other collaborations: their range with Italian jewellers Nove25, swimwear with MC2 Saint Bath, a clothing range with their very own Rafael Leão and their fourth kit in conjunction with Paris-based Koché.
This collaboration, though, is helped by the Yankees and Milan sitting under the same ownership group; RedBird Capital Partners, headed by Gerry Cardinale.
“The entirety of this collaboration is a homage to the transcendent impact that the cities of Milan and New York maintain on fashion and culture around the world, and we are eager to see that cross-cultural spirit reflected as people enjoy the collection,” AC Milan CEO Giorgio Furlani said.
Yankees president Randy Levine added: “Bringing them together for this project made sense on so many levels, especially considering how our brands resonate among fans of both sports and fashion.
“We are also thrilled to deepen the ties between our teams and congratulate those who provided input in the design for making a collection that has style and substance.”
To purchase some of these items, you’ll either need to be at Yankee Stadium or San Siro, at one of the team’s stores in New York or Milan, or manage to snaffle one of the few online.
