While us ‘Mericans have the luxury of perfectly mowed fields and a plethora of generic gear at our disposal, most of the world does soccer… or fútbol… or futbito, differently. It’s a beloved and gritty sport, the foundation of which lays in the townships of Africa and in the dirt surfaces of Spain and Brazil. As so many of us have been, while traveling to these hallowed international ‘fields,’ Travis Winn – the founder of Calle (pronounced KAI-yay) – was inspired by the passion, talent, and ultimately, the style he saw being displayed by 12 year old street soccer players in Spain. Confidently and creatively, he thought, they tirelessly played 5 v. 5 on fenced-in concrete courts and in the callejones (a.k.a. alleys).
The difference between most of us and Travis is that Travis went one step further and saw a business opportunity in all of this. Calle was born out of international streets, and has come to fruition through the idea of bridging the gap between the mostly hideous soccer apparel/gear that we’re used to, and a more fashion-forward, to-the-roots-of-the-game aesthetic. There’s a market for a brand like this, no question about that. My hope is that Calle doesn’t try to become ‘the Quicksilver’ of the soccer industry overnight, but rather focuses on conveying through its apparel and other products the authentic look, feel, and style from which the brand was born.
Their Primero street soccer ball is, in my book, the icon of the brand– low bounce, soft touch, and not afraid of getting dirty… canvas sack included.
A few weeks ago, I told you about Mauro Gatti, Italian artist/animator extraordinaire. I gave you the ‘heads up’ for Mauro to go big in the near future. With that said, I wanted to share his new Nike commercial with you all. It is has a great Italian ‘futbol’ vibe to it, and even more notably, it showcases Mauro’s remarkable animation skills (he worked with people like director Giullano Garonzi, and 3D gurus Paolo Valletti, Paulo Ubiali, and Jonas Arturo Santana among others) and rolled it out in just 3 weeks. The inspiration for the commerical was an illustration Mauro drew to celebrate Italy’s World Cup victory. You can check out some of his other animation projects by going to the brainbox and clicking on the ‘motion’ section. Nice job Mauro! Buona Sera!
On July 9th the world cup will draw to a close and Italy or France will reign supreme in the world of soccer. So in the spirit of the game, and for all the soccer hooligans who think they know it all comes KM7 Kicks, The Fine Art of Playing Football, by Klaus Mai and Christian Bitenc. Mai and Bitenc, both graphic designers in Germany. They were frustrated with the visuals being used for the 2006 World Cup and KM7 is their wonderfully designed ode to the football championship. Utilizing their immense knowledge of the game, Klaus and Christian completed KM7 in only 5 months and with it challenge the knowledge of the “true†soccer fans covering everything including shoes, balls, lines, referees, rules, doping, techniques, logos, mascots, the cup and lawn maintenance from A to Z. “Do you know what the shell seats look like, how about how that the goal gates are knotted?†Even if you do, make sure to pick up a copy of the visual feast and soccer encyclopedia that is KM7 Kicks.
One of my favorite parts about large world wide events like the World Cup is how the arts community interprets them. These Political Soccer Heads were just too good not to mention. “Heads will roll: Just in time for the World Cup, visitors to the Leipzig Museum of Fine Arts can bounce Bush or Blair, corner-kick Clinton or soccer-punch Saddam. Kendell Geers' interactive art, titled Masked Ball, is one of 24 football-themed works by international artists.“ Via Design Verb
“Before you create with your foot, create the boot that goes on it.†That's the motto Adidas stuck to when designing TUNIT, the first-ever soccer boot you can tune to adapt to the weather, field conditions, and even your own playing style. TUNIT's interchangeable design allows you to pair it with the chassis and studs of your choice, creating your perfect boot. Adidas integrated ClimaCool®, ClimaWarm® and ClimaProof® materials to create Clima365™, a material that allows for head to toe temperature optimization. The TUNIT is available from Adidas by the pair or in a premium set which contains a plethora of boot options including multiple uppers, chassis, and studs.
On July 9th the world cup will draw to a close and Italy or France will reign supreme in the world of soccer. So in the spirit of the game, and for all the soccer hooligans who think they know it all comes 
