CHICAGO (Oct. 31, 2022) – U.S. Soccer is teaming up with five innovative designers- Hidden NY, Awake NY, KidSuper, Jason Scott and VOYCENOW- to create exclusive lifestyle capsule collections as the U.S. Men’s National Team prepares to kick off the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. The five brands, who all celebrate culture and diversity through fashion and lifestyle, have collaborated with U.S. Soccer to create exciting offerings of limited edition merchandise, including t-shirts, sweatshirts, socks and hats.
The first-of-its-kind collection debuts today with Hidden NY and an additional designer collection will launch everyday over the next four days. The designers have combined their own unique design elements with the U.S. Soccer crest and “Only Forward” campaign marks to create a special set of statement fashion pieces as the USMNT prepares to head to the World Cup.
Monday, Oct. 31 - Hidden NY
Tuesday, Nov. 1 - Awake NY
Wednesday, Nov. 2 - KidSuper
Thursday, Nov. 3 - Jason Scott
Friday, Nov. 4 - VoyceNow
“It’s been exciting to work with such incredible designers and let them put their own personal spin on our U.S. Soccer brand,” said Maribeth Towers, U.S. Soccer’s Vice President of Consumer Products. “The bespoke fashion pieces that have come from this collaboration are truly one-of-a-kind and bring our brand into a new cultural space. It’s a unique opportunity for us to enter the streetwear conversation and celebrate the diversity of our fanbase ahead of the World Cup.”
New York based creative agency ICNCLST, who also co-created the USMNT’s overall “Only Forward” campaign with U.S. Soccer, conceived of this program and managed the partnerships with Awake NY, Hidden NY and KidSuper. All products will be available for purchase via each brand’s own channels.
HIDDEN NY
Hidden is a global community that celebrates the idea of “discovery” and the sense of wonderment that can be found within this action. The brand has sprouted naturally from a “research” account (@hidden.ny) on Instagram, one of the first of its kind curating imagery and ideas in art, design, fashion and music from the past, present and future.
Founded in 2012 by Angelo Baque, Awake NY is unapologetically New York. The brand captures the unique cultural spirit and sensibility of New York City, consistently mirroring the vibrant energy that defines the cultural landscape of the five boroughs. Awake NY evokes the city’s unending vitality and timelessness while remaining rooted in New York’s greatest assets: its people. Community is at the brand’s core; through partnerships with local organizations, Awake NY continues to extend its reach throughout New York City’s boroughs to create something entirely new: La Comunidad de Awake NY. Since its inception, Awake NY has grown significantly and can be found globally at retailers such as Dover Street Market (global), Patta (Amsterdam and London), Union (LA and Tokyo), Supply Sydney, and Slam Jam Milano, among others.
KidSuper is an ever-changing and evolving hybrid art brand founded and creative-directed by Colm Dillane. From selling t-shirts in his high school cafeteria to showcasing his collections at Paris Fashion Week, Colm has taken his fearless attitude and boundless imagination to astronomical heights. He’s a lifelong player and fan of the beautiful game, which is often expressed in his creations.
Jason’s personal style has always been more easygoing and relaxed, but he wondered why t-shirts, sweatshirts and casual pants don’t follow the same principles as a suit when it came to the attention to detail and luxurious feel. Without any sort of fashion background or hands-on experience, Jason dove headfirst into the world of fabrics and tailoring and has spent years redefining “basics”. He was set on making clothing that is both easy to wear but intentionally designed with character and quality. His passion for fine tailoring and one-of-a-kind custom-made fabrics has led him to where we are today — creating high quality clothing that’s made to last.
VOYCENOW was founded as a direct response to the Black community’s fight for equality. After the tragic murder of George Floyd, Zack Steffen, goalkeeper for the U.S. Men’s National Team and Manchester City (on loan at Middlesbrough F.C.), felt empowered to take action and speak out against the racial inequalities plaguing our nation. This pushed Zack to join forces with his former University of Maryland and Columbus Crew teammate Alex Crognale to create the VOYCENOW Foundation, a nonprofit that unites athletes from across the world to use their platforms to advocate Equality for All.
Propelled by their desire to use their social media platforms to ignite positive change, the founders are committed to rallying their fans and supporters to become allies for the Black community. Since its origins, VOYCENOW is now backed by the collaborative efforts of 150+ Athlete Ambassadors spanning 20 leagues and 13 countries. Together they make up VOYCENOW, a community of change-makers fighting for equality.
“Soccer was intertwined with my upbringing. Growing up, I would spend weekends barbecuing and watching my uncles play at Flushing Meadow Park. The sport is a huge part of Ecuadorian culture, and as an Ecuadorian-American, this project is particularly meaningful for me since both teams are in the World Cup this year. I used “Solo Pa’lante” as a signifier of my upbringing and the inclusive spirit of the USMNT.”
- Angelo Baque, Founder and Creative Director of Awake NY
“This is the closest I’ll come to playing for the U.S. Men’s National Team. This is a big deal for everyone involved. PUT ME IN COACH!”
- Colm Dillane, KidSuper
“Ever since I was 5 years old, soccer has been a part of my life. It’s transformed from a sport I used to play as a kid to a major source of inspiration for our brand. Being able to collaborate and craft a special collection with the USMNT is more than I can even put into words. It was important to me when I was working on the collection and combining these two passions that the collection consisted of elevated styles with unique designs — two things we focus on to make our brand stand above the rest.”
- Jason Scott