I’m always fascinated with those World Cups during the 1960s and 1970s where the players sat around drinking and smoking like they were spending two weeks on the Costa Brava. Sunning themselves and taking the missus with them, this was World Cup as lad’s holiday. Today, it’s much more serious, and if all the bungs, corruption and violence hasn’t put you off, it’s still a spectacle bringing the world together.
Left - Bobby Moore with locals on the beach 1971 NPG
As well as a sporting contest it’s also a cultural and style moment, celebrated every four years. Recently, photographs of the footballer Bobby Moore were acquired by the National Portrait Gallery and have gone on display to mark this year’s World Cup and the 25th anniversary of his death. The photographs were acquired from the collection of Roberta Moore, his daughter, and show Bobby, the golden boy of British football, throughout his career both on and off the pitch.
Right - Nike Football - England Home Vapor Match Shirt In White - £90 from ASOS
Umbro has released the 'Unforgotten' collection. Back in 1966, Umbro did a deal with all 16 competing teams in the World Cup finals to wear Umbro kit. Everyone agreed, but, when the tournament started, one team didn't wear the kit: the Russians. The Unforgotten collection is inspired by what that missing kit could've looked like and the colours and iconography of the Soviet era. Part of the collection is inspired by Lev Yashin, Russia's goalkeeper in 1966 and arguably the greatest goalkeeper ever - still the only goalkeeper to ever win the Ballon d'Or. He was also famed for always wearing head-to-toe black when playing, hence the Lev pieces in the collection are predominately black.
Left - Umbro 'Unforgotten' Collection - Prices range from £35-80
Left - 'Saturday Night Fever Pitch' by Simon Doonan, read TheChicGeek's review here
Below - Bobby Moore & Family 1975 NPG
Louis Vuitton has released a FIFA World Cup official licensed product collection - they also make the travel case for the World Cup trophy. Available in 3 colour combinations - red, black and blue, and made with the Maison’s textured Epi leather, the pattern is inspired by the official ball of the 1970 FIFA World Cup. There will also be a range of 35 country name tags - 32 qualified teams of the FIFA World Cup competition + Italy, USA, and China. It is available from the Louis Vuitton boutiques in Harrods and Manchester.
Far Left - Louis Vuitton - Keepall 50 – Epi leather - £2970
Left - Wallet - Slender Epi Leather Wallet - £460
Vilebrequin’s signature turtle shares the spotlight, this time, with an especially clever cephalopod: the octopus. With eight tentacles to dribble, he represents the famous ‘Paul’ who captivated the football fans crowds with his predictions in the 2010 World Cup.
Left - Vilebrequin - Soccer Turtles - £175
The design is based around the footballs that made, well some of us, into Ronaldo or Messi in the playground. All for the price of £19.66 to celebrate the last time England did anything!
Left - OIBOY - Super Stars Made in Playgrounds White T-Shirt - £19.66
Below - New Balance + Paul Smith Signature Stripe Leather Football - £195
See what to wear while watching - TheChicGeek's OOTD World Cup Casual
You've probably got the idea - I've been banging on about them for months - that this season is all about vertical stripes.
Left - SS18 Marni, Balmain, Etudes
Every designer and brand worth their stripes showed multiple variations of them. There are many ways to wear the trend - matching and mixed. Clash, contrast or complement, the choice is yours!
Credits - Jacket - Scotch & Soda, Short-Sleeved Shirt - ASOS - Trousers - Scotch & Soda, Slip-Ons - Base London
TheChicGeek took Vertical Stripes to Marrakech, see more here
A mysterious style icon has suddenly appeared. Inhabiting the hallowed halls of Tate Britain, this new character looks like a badger from a Shakespearean fantasy. Called ‘The Squash’, it is an immersive installation combining performance and sculpture by 2016 Turner Prize nominee Anthea Hamilton.
The Squash has been created for the annual Tate Britain Commission, supported by Sotheby’s, which invites contemporary British artists to create new artwork in response to the grand space of the Duveen Galleries.
Left - All about the stripey Squash
Right - Loewe - Striped Asymmetric Cotton-Canvas Shirt - £795 from matchesfashion.com
Anthea Hamilton has transformed the heart of Tate Britain into an elaborate stage for a continuous 6-month performance of a single character, dressed in a colourful squash-like costume. Over 7,000 white floor tiles have been laid to span the length of the galleries encasing a series of large structures that serve as podiums for a number of works of art from Tate’s collection, chosen by Hamilton.
Right - The Squash has seven costumes designed in collaboration with Creative Director Jonathan Anderson at the fashion house Loewe
The artist is influenced by the early 20th century French writer and dramatist Antonin Artaud and his call for the ‘physical knowledge of images’, it is this bodily response to an idea or an image that she wishes to examine in The Squash.
Hamilton has designed seven costumes in collaboration with Creative Director Jonathan Anderson at the fashion house Loewe, that incorporate the colours and shapes of varieties of squash or pumpkin. The performers get to select a costume each day, informing and reflecting their individual presentation of the character as they inhabit the space.
On trend, The Squash is rocking vertical stripes and ruffled shirts in his clinically tiled play area. Get the look with a striped shirt or go for white ruffles; the bigger, the better.
Left - DSQUARED2 - Ruffled Bib Shirt - £415 from FarFetch.com
Right - Burberry - Herringbone Cotton Tie-Neck Riding Shirt - £495
Left & Below - The Squash gets to play in Tate Britain's Duveen Galleries
Like Stripes? See The Beetlejuice Striped Suit
Milan gave us handbags, more shiny coats and reasons to look like a tourist. Here goes AW18:
Handbags
Ooooo, look at you! Bags have been getting smaller, so we may as well call a spade a spade.
From Left - Fendi, Palm Angels, Prada
Mr Sheen
The future is wipe clean and the quicker you get your head around this, the better.
From Left - Gucci, Fendi, Prada, Versace
Below - Both Moschino
Diagonal Stripes
Like a walking 70s airline logo.
Below - Both Fendi
Distorted Stripes
This could be one of my favourite trends of the season. Not blurred lines, but distorted ones.
Above From Left - Fendi, Ermanno Scervino, Marni, Moschino
Open Arms
The new caping.
Left - Gucci
Tourist
Nothing wrong with looking like a tourist in AW18. The worst the better. Just don't look up!
Below - Fendi, Prada, Prada
Blanket Coat
Any blanket looking design cut into a coat or simply just thrown over your shoulders.
From Left - Fendi, Gucci, No.21, Marni
Below - Marni
Go Wilde
What did Oscar say about resisting temptation? Dress like you haven't.
Below From Left - Gucci, Dolce & Gabbana, Dolce & Gabbana
Badges
This is part normcore, part 80s, part 90s, part...
Both Prada
Coloured Lenses
Fear & Loathing lenses. I wore these all last Summer and they ain't going anywhere.
Below Both - Dolce & Gabbana
TheChicGeek took a trip to sunny Marrakech to see the new YSL Museum - read more here - while there, he thought it rude not to show you one of the big trends of the 2018 season - Vertical Stripes.
Think 'stylish deckchair', designers such as Marni, Balmain, Etudes, Haider Ackermann, Paul Smith, Cerruti 1881 and Ami all did their vertical variations on the trend.
With the Jardin Marjorelle as the backdrop, bold vertical stripes are not only a statement, but they elongate the wearer. Don't be scared, you can clash them, as seen here, just make sure they're wide and colourful.
This is perfect for holiday wardrobes in both shorts and T-shirts, as well as shirts and trousers, as seen here on TheChicGeek.
Credits - Trousers - Pretty Green, Shirt - ASOS - T-Shirt - Topman X Stranger Things, Bumbag - Eastpak, Watch - Swatch, Shoes - Dune London, Sunglasses - Vintage Gucci
See more SS18 Menswear Trends - here
Want more Vertical Stripes? here
TheChicGeek was a guest at Le Palais Paysan around 25 minutes from central Marrakech by car with stunning views of the Atlas Mountains and surrounding countryside. See more here