The former Manchester United star has collaborated with the sportswear giant on the adidas x David Beckham Predator 24 collection
If you close your eyes and think about football's relationship with fashion, one man moves to the front of your mind: David Beckham. Way ahead of his time, Beckham has always stood at that intersection, and despite his playing career ending more than a decade ago, it feels as though his influence is as significant as ever.
The England and Manchester United icon has stayed relevant as a style reference point throughout more than 30 years in the searing spotlight of the public eye. Oozing class, his look is always talked about and evolving as he adapts seamlessly to the zeitgeist.
It's no surprise, then, that adidas – one of the first entries in the extensive portfolio of brand partnerships that he boasts – handed Beckham the reins to co-design his own collection, incorporating his two great loves in the form and function of a football boot, and the chicness of a streetwear collection.
AFPAlways fashion-forward
While the currents of football and fashion have never run closer than they do today, Beckham has always been there, ahead of the curve.
His willingness to be bold and experiment with his personal style in the late 90s and early noughties mean we have him to thank in large part for the alignment of two cultural phenomena – sport and fashion – that, on paper, seem wildly different.
'Blokecore', the rise to prominence of vintage football shirts, French national team, NBA and NFL players getting incredibly expensively-assembled fits off for the cameras. Beckham helped to forge the path that led to those trends.
You remember the sarong at the 1998 World Cup, 'Posh and Becks'' full-leather look from 1999, wearing a durag to meet Prince Charles in 2000 and that famous (or infamous) mohawk hairstyle in 2001; he was widely ridiculed as the tabloids had a field day at the time, but now it's clear Becks was on to something.
“My style? It’s from another planet,” he told in 2002.
As Beckham matured, so did his dress sense, as experimentation became consistency. Today, he is known for seamlessly blending modern trends with timeless elegance, staying relevant and cultivating an image of class and sophistication despite the lazy stereotypes attached to footballers – especially those from a working-class background.
The influence of his wife and designer Victoria, of course, cannot be underestimated. The former Spice Girl is now equally synonymous with the fashion world as she is with the Britpop girl group.
AdvertisementGetty Images EntertainmentEarly roots
But Beckham's obsession with fashion long pre-dates his relationship with Victoria. "I always liked fashion," he told former team-mate Rio Ferdinand on his YouTube channel.
"Even when I was a page boy for my mum's best friend when I was a kid. I was given the opportunity as a kid when I was 12 or 11 years old and I was page boy for one of my mum's friends – she gave me the opportunity to either wear a suit or knickerbockers.
"Knickerbockers with white silk socks and a pair of ballet shoes and I wore that. There was always something in me that liked dressing different."
AFPMr. adidas
Obviously Beckham's good looks and footballing ability were the backbone of his success, but his emergence as one of the first fashion-forward athletes means he has been able to build up a substantial portfolio of extremely lucrative commercial partnerships, working across a spectrum of brands from Aston Martin to Pepsi.
Inevitably, he has always been coveted in the fashion world, famously posing in Armani underwear and shooting with Hugo Boss, as well as high street brands like H&M.
However, there is one brand in particular with which Beckham is synonymous: adidas.
The Englishman has been the face of the German sportswear behemoth for what feels like an eternity, having worn their iconic Predator boot throughout his storied career. He became an ambassador when he signed a lifetime deal with the Three Stripes way back in 2003, reportedly worth £115 million ($149m today).
In the years since, Beckham has fronted countless campaigns, worn various signature designs and appeared at innumerable promotional events. It is a relationship that has continued to thrive long beyond the footballer's retirement in 2013, as Beckham still stars in TV adverts and has his face emblazoned on billboards across the globe.
In what feels like the culmination of that rock-solid partnership, the ex-footballer was given the responsibility of co-designing his very own collection. Two years in the making, the capsule has now dropped and does not disappoint.
adidas'It was only right we handed over the reins'
The adidas X David Beckham Predator 24 collection has now been unveiled, to mark the 30th anniversary of the boot that is intrinsically linked to the former England and Man Utd superstar. It features a signature boot and a streetwear collection, all designed in collaboration with Beckham himself.
"We’re always looking at how we can break new ground in the world of football, and what better way to do so than with one of our longest serving and most iconic partners?" Sam Handy, senior vice-president of product and design at adidas, said.
"A name so synonymous with Predator, it was only right we handed over the creative reins to David to enable him to bring his vision to life through an adidas lens. This boot is a true reflection of on-pitch performance combined with luxury lifestyle, elevated to a level never seen before with a Predator boot."