MILAN — Is fashion fixated on soccer, or is it the other way around?
In the latest move signaling the ongoing synergies between the two, Italian soccer club L.R. Vicenza — backed by Renzo Rosso, founder and chairman of OTB — is linking with Brooklyn-based art collective and fashion orchestrator Mschf, known for its viral products that often challenge consumerist culture — and legality.
A master in stirring up controversy, Mschf was conscripted to create L.R. Vicenza’s new kit and accompanying collection of casual apparel and accessories, which were produced by Hummel, the soccer team’s technical sponsor.
The linkup not all that far-fetched, given OTB-owned brand Diesel’s history of disruptive and unconventional communication campaigns and activations.
“The collaboration between L.R. Vicenza and Mschf is one of the most exciting initiatives in our soccer journey,” said Stefano Rosso, the son of Renzo Rosso and president of the club. He is also chief executive officer of Marni and president of Maison Margiela and was recently named chairman of the Aura Blockchain Consortium.
“Our club boasts a long and proud history, but we believe that today’s soccer must also speak the language of culture, creativity and global relevance. With this project, L.R. Vicenza’s identity transcends national borders. Mschf brings a unique ability to challenge convention and expand the cultural footprint of a sporting institution through this new collection that honors its heritage while also embracing the future with courage, imagination and a truly international perspective,” he said.
In Mschf’s distinctive subversive approach, the kit and capsule collection come with an unexpected tag line — “Golf Sucks” — and are unveiled through a dedicated campaign that takes players to a golf course filled with soccer-size balls, golf carts and smoke bombs typically associated with soccer fandom.
The kit features black shorts and the signature red and white striped jersey, while off-the-field gear includes black hoodies, T-shirts and baseball hats, in addition to scarves evoking the bloke-core aesthetics, and a flag.
The pieces are emblazoned with the Mschf and Vicenza signs rendered in sunflower yellow, as well as logos of partners and sponsors, including Diesel. They also feature the collaboration’s tag line, and a new rendition of the club’s signature “R” logo, first introduced in 1953 and here repurposed by Mschf with three exclamation points.
The capsule’s items also bear depictions of “Gatton Gattoni,” the cartoon-like, cat-shaped mascot of the L.R. Vicenza team, exceptionally accompanied by “Ratto Rattone” a rat-shaped character Mschf created to represent New York City.
Priced between 30 euros and 130 euros — with the jersey retailing at 124 euros as a nod to the club’s 124-year history — the limited-run capsule collection drops on Friday at L.R. Vicenza’s online store and its brick-and-mortar unit in the namesake Italian town. It will also be available on the Hummel website.
Renzo Rosso bought the soccer team in 2018 for about 1 million euros, saving it from bankruptcy. During the current championship, the 124-year-old club has been promoted from the C league to the B league.
Mschf was started in 2016 and reincorporated in 2019 by Gabriel Whaley, Daniel Greenberg, Stephen Tetreault, Kevin Wiesner and Lukas Bentel. It has built its reputation on releasing provocative products, including the “Jesus Shoes” and “Satan Shoes,” made from Nike Air Max 97s, and the cartoon-ish Big Red Boots. In 2020 Mschf dismembered a $30,000 Damien Hirst spot painting to sell the dots individually, while in 2023 it released a 3D-printed, microscopic handbag, based on Louis Vuitton’s OnTheGo tote.
The collective has been the subject of federal lawsuits, viral moments and museum retrospectives.
