Wearing the World Cup

• Source: Global Times
• [13:21 June 13 2010]
• Comments

The World Cup inspired bag. Photo: Courtesy of MCM

By Mao Jiayu

All over the globe people from all walks of life are firmly in the grip of 2010 FIFA World Cup fever. Today is the third day of football matches in South Africa and enthusiasm is growing stronger. Footballers and fans are gearing up for another 27 days of football wizardry and football merchandise has been flying off the shelves. The fashion industry is naturally hop-ing to profit from proceedings and several big name clothing brands have recently unveiled World Cup clothing ranges.

A nation's underwear

Calvin Klein Underwear, one of the world's leading undergarment brands, has released a new line of cotton underpants known as X Global men's series to mark this major sporting occasion. The brand offers a total of 15 new styles of men's underwear, and each style reflects the flag colors of individual nations taking part in the World Cup. Nations represented include the United States, Japan, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Sweden, England, Russia, Holland, Greece, Brazil, South Africa, Mexico and Canada. In addition to showcasing the nation's flag colors, the name of the country is printed on the rear of the underpants.

Particularly striking are the Brazilian themed underpants in green and yellow and give off a samba party vibe. Also striking are the German themed underpants using black as the primary color, yellow around the sides, with the Calvin Klein characters printed in red around the waist band.

Only five of the nations represented in from the Calvin Klein's X Global series are to be sold in China. Shoppers can purchase the underpants of Germany, England, France, Italy and Brazil. Each piece is priced at 230 yuan ($36.60).

Leather shoes

Niki Taestesen and Mark Roedel, the fashion designers from the Danish shoe brand Ecco, have unleashed a World Cup inspired limited edition leather shoe for men.

The most attention-grabbing feature about this shoe is that the vamp has been designed to look like the surface of a football. World Cup footwear has never been so eye catching. The shoes are available in black, white and brown. The white shoes are probably the most casual and the least formal, while the black and brown versions are more refined and soft.

A total of 6,000 pairs of these Ecco leather shoes went on sale in 22 countries and regions since the World Cup in South Africa commenced on June 11. In China, each pair of such shoes are priced at 1,999 yuan. For each pair of the shoes bought, customers will also receive a commemorative World Cup T-shirt.

Bag it up

MCM, the luxury leather brand from Germany is also getting in on the action by announcing the release of a brand new selection of limited edition World Cup themed bags.

There are three types of bags on sale, a backpack, hipsack and tambourine shaped bags, with red and white color visetos. The tambourine bag is shaped like a soccer ball.

The price of MCM's world cup bags have yet been confirmed.