Serie A and Classic Football Shirts Unite to Give Fans a Unique New York Fashion Show

Serie A descended on New York on Saturday afternoon as they teamed up with Classic Football Shirts to bring a taste of Italy to the American public.

As part of a new team up between the top flight and the UK-based brand, the pair delivered Serie A Day: The Fashion of Calcio at their flagship store on Canal Street in Lower Manhattan, with hundreds of fans turning up to browse a dedicated range of shirts and to watch one of season’s biggest clashes – Milan versus Juventus.

There were giveaways for those lucky enough to attend, with signed shirts from USMNT stars Timothy Weah, Weston McKennie and Yunus Musah up for grabs.

And there was confirmation that this is just the first in a series of events across the USA, with bashes in both Los Angeles and Miami pencilled in for the beginning of next year.

It was the latest step in the league’s attempts to connect with its fans across the globe – with an event in London last month attracting 700 calcio followers.

The latest project in the States was part of a new venture between Serie A and Classic Football Shirts, with the two agreeing a three-year partnership to allow calcio followers to purchase current shirts from across the top flight in the States. The link-up attracted interest from all corners of the city, including Giorgio Laudati, who’s grandfather used to play for Lazio.

“His name is Vittorio Laudati. He was Lazio youth in the 50s. He’s from Rome,” Giorgio said at the launch.

“My dad is also from Rome. His name’s Marco. My brother’s name is Marco. We’re all Italian Americans and big Lazio fans. At the restaurant Via della Pache – it’s East Village – that’s where the Lazio Club is. 

“It’s a fun place to be. They have a lot of Giorgio Chinaglia jerseys hung up, and I think it’s called the Giorgio Chinaglia Club. It’s a fun place to watch the games, a good place to eat. There is a good community. I always meet some Lazio fans. Sometimes if I’m wearing Lazio stuff, I’ll get some ‘Forza Lazios’ on the streets.”

Clubs from across Serie A were represented at the event, with supporters turning up in shirts belonging to the likes of Genoa, Milan and Juventus.

“I’ve been a Juve fan since 2010 – around when Conte came, that’s when I first started getting into it,” Calcio Culture podcast host Marino Boccuzzi said on his own affinity with Italian football.

“Not a lot of people know how good this league is. When you talk about Serie A, everyone says it’s like a lesser league than the Premier League, but the talent and the competition is the best in the top five leagues, which I try to tell them every single time.

“I always say the Premier League is just the best marketed league in the world. They don’t have the best talent. But it’s tough to find people that like or watch calcio in America, unless you go to watch-alongs or specific Serie A bars.”

The event is part of the efforts from Serie A to grow its relationship with fans across the pond, and the medium of fashion is a deliberate choice to dial in to one of the key aspects that draws Americans to Italy.

“Classic Football Shirts connects soccer’s unique culture like no other retailer,” said Andy Mitchell – the CEO of Serie A USA. “They share our goal to celebrate the fashion, storied history, and exciting future of Italian soccer with over 30 million Serie A fans in North America.

“This partnership is a true game-changer for Serie A fans in North America, who will, for the first time, be able to easily purchase current jerseys from our clubs.”