El Clasico is this Saturday and we have a #CHICKSINKITS especially for the contest between Spanish giants FC Barcelona and Real Madrid. This month’s post features Ariél Fernandez, a die hard Barça fan who works at ESPN FC. In her shoot she is sporting the FC Barcelona away kit and FC Barcelona third “Night Rising” kit provided by World Soccer Shop. You can follow her Twitter and Instagram and make sure to check out her YouTube page For Fans Only TV where she provides a creative take on footy and footy fandom.
Photos by GrlaFutbol
Tell us about yourself
I’m from Connecticut originally and ethnically I’m Portuguese, Black and Native American. I grew up more connected with African-American culture, but I rep Portugal really hard because it seems like a lot of people really want me to choose one or the other and I refuse to downplay any of them. People usually look at me like I have two heads when I first speak Portuguese around them… How I see myself is a balancing act.
How did you get into soccer?
Growing up my older brother played so I’ve probably been going to his games and practices since I was around 3. Soccer was always just there. When he started following professional soccer I wanted to be a part of that too, and I got hooked really quickly. When I got to college all my friends were from other countries so that was the first way we all connected. To this day a lot of people are shocked when they meet an American girl who likes soccer, and my number one favorite thing to do is travel so it’s always the ultimate ice breaker.
Why do you love about soccer?
The main reason I love the game is the fact that it’s global. I come from a small town and growing up I never really felt like I fit in fully with any of my ethnicities, so soccer was my way of being me. Now it’s my lens for seeing people and places that are different from me, my excuse to travel, my creative inspiration. It just really snowballed into my whole life.
What teams do you follow?
I’m a Barcelona fan, forever, for a fact. I only seriously keep up with two teams (i.e. watching every week) Barcelona and PSG. And to be honest PSG is a recent thing because Zlatan is my favorite player. But I work in football so I have to pick some favorites to keep it interesting no matter what league I’m watching, so I like seeing Roma and Schalke play. Also I don’t really mind watching Montreal or NYCFC. Generally if there’s a city I like, I find a reason to be a fan of their team. I’m national-team-less at the moment, but I really like watching the European giants play, because it always feels like you’re watching history being made.
What teams do you think are the most fashionable?
PSG hands down. But that’s kind of obvious, and mostly related to the fans. PSG fans have Paris in their blood so they always have dope style, especially their sneakers; they just make everything their own. But…Italy is is sponsored by Dolce & Gabbana so…
What players do you think have the best style?
I really like Antoine Griezmann’s style…Soccer players have a tendency to do too much sometimes style-wise, but aside from the peroxide-blonde phase he went through for a while, he’s pretty consistent with his clothing choices but not too out-there. And he’s a sneakerhead so that helps. Gregory van der Wiel is one of those players who’s got a good eye for style but maybe that’s just because he’s dating a supermodel. Or because he’s Dutch. But of course I can’t forget David Beckham. Self-explanatory.
What impact does art and fashion have on the game?
I think fans are attracted to the culture of football more than anything. You buy into a team because you see the fans, the legends, and the atmosphere and you want to be a part of that. And I think that football is unique as a sport when it comes to that because so many of the fans are also creators in a sense, so that’s the first think new fans see. PSG fans for example, are photographers, graphic designers, artists, so naturally they combine their love of the game with whatever it is that they’re creating in all sorts of innovative ways that peak your curiosity. If you’re not a fan you want to know how those things go together with football, and that’s how people get hooked.
What are you favorite brands out right now?
I like Amour LONDON for staple pieces like jumpers, sweats and jeans. Any type of bag I usually get from Herschel just because they’re pretty sturdy, but also well-designed and their 5-panel hats are dope. I don’t think I own any sneakers besides Nikes to be honest, but I just discovered a sneaker boutique called Titolo in Switzerland that ships to the US and their kicks are usually on point. I like brands with clean lines and not too flashy, so anything like that usually sticks out to me. Simplicity done well always catches my attention.
If you could only pick one pair of sneakers to rock for the rest of your life what pair would it be?
Air Max, no question, although anything Flyknit is a close second. 90’s and Thea’s are my favorite, because they’re a no-brainer: they go with everything, shape-wise and there’s endless possibilities as far as color and texture. I could legitimately where them everyday and not get bored. My goal is to have a collection that takes up all four walls of a room.
