New York City FC is proud to release a new apparel collection in collaboration with STAPLE, the world-renowned streetwear brand helmed by creative visionary, jeffstaple. The coupling of the NY-based pioneering streetwear label and NY-based soccer club marks the biggest streetwear collaboration to date for Major League Soccer, and creates an exciting opportunity to unite their respective fans by celebrating the commonality shared amongst all - being NYC proud. The two New York City staples also share a tie to the notorious Pigeon - STAPLE’s iconic motif and the unofficial mascot of New York City and NYCFC.
NYCFC Vice President of Marketing, Sarah Bishop comments “The partnership between NYCFC and STAPLE is a natural one for both our brands given the connection we have with the people and culture across the five boroughs that make up New York City. We are proud to partner with jeffstaple, STAPLE and Reed Art Department and are excited to see the collection worn in the bleachers and on the streets all across the City.”
“The Pigeon is a major representation of the New York City hustle and energy - it always manages to not just survive but also win. It’s incredible that the Pigeon is recognized as NYCFC's unofficial mascot for the same reasons that I chose to have it be the icon for STAPLE,” says jeffstaple, Founder and CEO of STAPLE and Reed Art Department. He adds, “it was important for us to create a collection that evokes a sense of community and emphasizes our shared connections as New Yorkers.”
The design concept of the collection taps into the rich history of the NYC Subway signage vernacular with the dots and color-coded lines of Massimo Vignelli’s redesigned NYC Subway Map reworked to represent NYCFC and STAPLE. The minimalist, geometric design elements combined with NYCFC’s signature bold colors - navy blue, sky blue and orange - pay homage to the system that is responsible for connecting people from downtown up to Yankee Stadium and across all boroughs.
The five-piece collection consists of a white short-sleeve tee ($40) reminiscent of a classic soccer jersey, a black varsity-style long-sleeve tee ($55) emblazoned with ‘97 (the founding year of STAPLE), a grey hoodie ($80) featuring a subtle design nod to the NYC Subway Map, a spirited, dual-sided woven soccer scarf ($35), and a Pintrill pin ($12) that cleverly channels the old-school NYC subway token with a custom combination of a Pigeon stamp and the NYCFC badge circle. The collection has something for soccer fans, streetwear aficionados and New Yorkers, alike, to proudly represent the resilience and undeniable motivations that keep the energy of NYC alive.
The capsule drops first today on July 30th at Legends, located in Yankee Stadium for the NYCFC home game against Columbus Crew this evening, on MLSstore.com and staplepigeon.com. Subsequently, the collection will be available for purchase at Upper 90 stores in Astoria on July 31st, and at ExtraButter boutiques in Manhattan and Long Island City on August 6th.
Later this MLS season, NYCFC and STAPLE will unveil custom adidas cleats that will be auctioned to benefit City in the Community (CITC) NY, the 501 (c)(3) charity foundation proudly supported by NYCFC. Further details will be made available closer to the auction date in November.
