A sneak preview of FIFA's first lifestyle collection

Alongside the first matches of the Club World Cup, FIFA hosted a gala dinner to officially launch FIFA 1904, a fashion brand founded by the international federation itself. While news that FIFA was planning to enter the lifestyle world had already leaked last October, on Monday evening those rumours were confirmed with an exclusive dinner held in Los Angeles, as reported by the New York Times. During the event, the first images of the inaugural FIFA 1904 collection were revealed: an elegant line including cashmere coats, sheath dresses, shirts and tailored blazers.

The line was curated by VFiles, a New York-based fashion platform. Its founder, Julie Anne Quay, was present at the gala dinner, where she said: "I think it can be a billion-dollar brand by the 2030 World Cup". According to a report in the New York Times, Quay herself pitched the project to FIFA, convinced that its executives were the best possible brand ambassadors due to their numerous business trips. Initially, however, the proposal did not convince FIFA's board, which was then in negotiations with adidas. However, FIFA was persuaded to launch its own clothing line by the fact that more and more football clubs were founding their own fashion brands, and that more and more sports leagues, from the NBA to F1, were signing deals with luxury brands.

The official debut of the first FIFA 1904 collection, which includes garments for both men and women, will take place at the end of the month on the most prestigious stage of all: the Paris Fashion Week. The collection has been curated by Marcus Clayton. Specifically, FIFA will license the name and brand to VFiles, while retaining veto power over what can and cannot be sold, effectively maintaining creative control. Prices are expected to start at a minimum of $55 and go up to $995. FIFA 1904 will also have its own operational base in the United States, specifically in New York and Los Angeles, rather than in Zurich where FIFA based its headquarter. Lastly, the intention is to convert the VFiles store in SoHo into the FIFA 1904 flagship store.