Innovative outerwear designs by BA (Hons) Fashion Design and Technology students celebrate the intersection of football and fashion in Manchester.

This semester, our Level 5 BA (Hons) Fashion Design and Technology students embraced an exciting collaboration with the National Football Museum, exploring the intersection of sport and fashion through two exciting projects. The collaboration featured a static exhibition, Kick Off Couture, and a dynamic showcase as part of the Football Voices Festival. 

Kick-Off Couture invited students to create innovative outerwear inspired by items from the museum’s archives, exploring the rich cultural links between football and fashion. Four winning designs by Carmen Costantino, Sarah Ajayi, Eloise Oddy, and Summer Wilson are now proudly displayed at the museum, alongside a specially commissioned film where the designers share their creative journeys. 

Reflecting on how the event inspired our students Sarah Collins, Senior Lecturer,stated; 

Collaborating with the National Football Museum on this exciting project gave our students the unique opportunity to explore important social and cultural themes through the lens of football, to create innovative outerwear pieces that reflect the sport’s close connection to fashion. Exhibiting their garments at the museum enables our students to showcase their creative practice to a wider audience in the city and celebrates Manchester Metropolitan University’s long-standing partnership with the museum.”  

One of our winning designers, Carmen Costantino, shared her creative process: 
“I started by styling a duvet to inspire the foundation and trims and then incorporated bling garnishing, often associated with the early 2000s. Having my work displayed has been an incredible experience.” 

Sarah Ajayi, another one of our winning designers, “reimagined the traditional puffer jacket to symbolise athletic and cultural empowerment.” Sarah seamlessly incorporated “football lace, prints, and studs” into her design to embody “strength, resilience, and identity, celebrating the diversity within football and reinforcing that the game should always be accessible to all.” 

The Football Voices Festival showcased the work of 11 students and provided a platform for these budding designers to present their creations to a live audience, with a film screening and discussions exploring the relationship between football and fashion. 

Isabel Dawson, one of our showcased students reflected on the significance of the experience: “This project allowed me to push boundaries and explore how fashion can narrate stories beyond the runway. Football’s cultural significance inspired me to think differently about outerwear design and sustainability.” 

The Kick Off Couture exhibition and Football Voices Festival celebrated the power of interdisciplinary partnerships, demonstrating how fashion can reflect and reimagine the cultural narratives of sport. A big thank you to the National Football Museum for providing our students with this incredible opportunity to merge creativity with the rich heritage of football.