It’s (not) A Man’s Man’s Man’s World An Interview with Mona Thomas, founder of HUNI Design
Mona Thomas – founder of the brand HUNI Design – is one of the most influential designers at the intersection of football and fashion. Above all, she is one of the voices that understood how important it was to refine the dialogue between two such significant spheres, and how this combination could now lead to the creation of a new language. Football aesthetics, in terms of shapes and classic silhouettes, is ready to take a step forward and, thanks to her customization initiative with adidas, she paved the way for a new chapter of sports clothing, from tracksuits with padded shoulders, football duffel bags with spikes on the bottom, and much more.
We talked with Mona about her perspectives, her inspirations, and the experience of navigating a man's world. What is it like to navigate an industry where 99% of the time, it’s men who are passionate about football and legitimize their passion day after day?
It seems obvious but essential to ask you: what is your relationship with football? Before the collaboration with adidas, has its aesthetic ever influenced your designs?
«Honestly, I’ve always had very little to do with football as a sport. My family is not very athletic, and no one really follows it. Growing up, I actually kept my distance. Some of the boys who played football at school were my number one bullies. But even as an outsider, I couldn’t escape its influence. I have vivid memories of the 2006 World Cup; the energy was so infectious that at one point, I thought I wanted to become a goalkeeper. Looking back now, I realize I was more captivated by the aesthetic of football kits than by the sport itself.»
Women's football has made significant progress in recent years, both in terms of competitiveness and perception. What was it like for you to design a sportswear-inspired collection in a space where the vast majority of designers are men, while being passionate about football and legitimizing their passion day after day?
«As I grew up, I realized how rare it is for men to buy from a female-led brand, let alone for a woman to succeed as a menswear designer. Collaborating with adidas on a project like this felt incredibly validating. Not just for me, but for the idea that women belong in these spaces too. There are definitely parallels between how women are perceived in male-dominated sports and the creative industry. For years, I’ve felt underestimated and overlooked as a female creative, so this project was personal.»
If you could add a feature to all football jerseys, what would it be?
«If I could add a feature to all football jerseys, it would be shoulder pads—like rugby players. Maybe it's unnecessary, but I think everything looks cooler with shoulder pads.»
From founding a brand like HUNI Design to collaborating with adidas, one of the year's best partnerships in terms of innovation and reinterpreting football-related items and silhouettes. How did it happen?
«The collaboration with adidas was initially meant to be a modest customization project with limited creative freedom and a small budget. There wasn’t supposed to be much exposure either. It was a challenge, because we had all these big ideas. But the way the work resonated with people completely surpassed expectations.»
As part of a young generation of designers, what role do you think football (as a sport and as an aesthetic) plays today from a social perspective?
«Football always had the power to unite people. Big tournaments are these huge cultural events where even those who aren’t into the sport get swept up in the enthusiasm. It’s a cross-cultural pop phenomenon shaped by the players, their on-field performance, and their off-field personas. What they wear, how they style their hair, the cars they drive, the jokes they make, what bands they like. They are unique personalities with big platforms. So it’s no surprise that footballers have become such important figures in the fashion world as well.»
Les Vêtements de Football – The Golden Age of Football Jerseys is a project by nss sports dedicated to the golden era of football shirts.
The purchase is available on our website at this link.