Nike recruits Virgil Abloh and Kim Jones for World Cup collections

(Relaxnews) - Nike is getting into the spirit of the upcoming World Cup with soccer-themed collaborations with fashion designers Virgil Abloh and Kim Jones.

Off-White founder Abloh, who was named artistic director of menswear at Louis Vuitton back in March, has dreamed up a collection dubbed "Football, Mon Amour," which draws on the memories of his own matches as a youngster. His series, which will launch on June 14, celebrates the fashion aesthetics of the game, from typography to logos, and features the numbers that Abloh himself has worn on the pitch. In addition to the t-shirts, jerseys, gloves and jackets, the designer has also created a Flyknit Zoom Fly shoe in a vibrant orange hue.

"I wanted to communicate where a player strikes the ball," Abloh explains in a press statement. "So, I put dots on the boot; if you're going to strike the ball, your foot/eye coordination is basically the only variance of chance. That's what the collection started with, these running shoes that mimic the same as your actual boot on the pitch so that you started subconsciously training all the time. Then I just applied that aesthetic from the bottom up."

Meanwhile, Jones, who was also named artistic director of Dior Homme in March, has taken a more abstract approach to his collection, dubbed "Football Reimagined." The UK creative has tweaked traditional footy garments such as shorts and jerseys, updating them with a punk-style aesthetic that harks back to the London streetwear of the 1970s and '80s.

"That whole punk era was all about proportions that gave power to the wearer," Jones states. "I was inspired by the idea of DIY of the time  cutting up and putting things back together – to create something new." The collaboration will go on sale on June 7.

Abloh and Jones are not the only big names bringing the worlds of fashion and soccer together this summer. The beautiful game will also be explored through a fashionable lens at the upcoming menswear event Pitti Immagine Uomo 94 in Florence, where a key exhibition, "Fanatic Feelings – Fashion Plays Football," will highlight the impact the sport has had on the world of men's fashion.