FASHION GOALS: Brioni is the latest luxury brand to tap into the appeal of sports, namely soccer.
But rather than betting on big teams and acclaimed players, the Kering Group-owned label has partnered with Como 1907, the Lake Como-based soccer club that has been generating a lot of buzz with its smart marketing strategies and collaborations.
As part of the tie-up, Brioni will dress the team off-field for the 2025-2026 season. Players will debut exclusive creations by the sartorial fashion house, beginning with a double-breasted navy suit in Solaro fabric paired with the Trama polo shirt in navy cotton.
This is the first time the brand is engaging in a soccer partnership and it is understood that a series of joint initiatives will add to the collaboration throughout the season, further building on the bustling marketing activity of the club.
Players of Como 1907 sporting the navy looks Brioni designed for the soccer team.
Courtesy of Brioni
To be sure, the storied team established in 1907 has been on a growth trajectory in both sports and popularity since Indonesian brothers Robert Budi and Michael Bambang Hartono — owners of the Djarum Group conglomerate, among others — acquired it through the U.K.-based media and entertainment company Sent Entertainment Ltd. The new owners spearheaded a successful revamp by ensuring its financial stability, enrolling key players and investing heavily in increasing the club’s visibility and turning it into an international brand.
These efforts culminated in the return to the Series A tournament — Italy’s top domestic league — after more than two decades in 2024 under coach Francesc “Cesc” Fàbregas Soler, the Spanish professional soccer manager and former player who joined the Italian team in 2022 and was named its head coach a year later. Former soccer star Thierry Henry, who played with Fàbregas at Arsenal Football Club in the past, also invested in the club in 2022.
Spanish midfielder Sergi Roberto Carnicer wearing the navy look Brioni designed for the Como 1907 soccer team.
Courtesy of Brioni
Henry was seen supporting the club at the stadium along with a bevy of A-list celebrities, including Keira Knightley, Michael Fassbender, Adrien Brody, Andrew Garfield, Jeff Goldblum, Hugh Grant and Kate Beckinsale, to cite a few. Such an attendance made for quite a unique case in the Italian soccer scene and contributed in generating heat around Como 1907 beyond its sports results, especially on social media.
In addition to banking on inviting celebrities and the intrinsic attractiveness of Lake Como as a luxury destination, the club’s new management also pressed on key partnerships and collaborations with the fashion industry in its brand building.
Keira Knightley and her husband James Righton attending the match between Como 1907 and Roma at Giuseppe Sinigaglia Stadium in Como last year.
Jacopo M. Raule/Getty Images for Como 1907
Last year, it named Rhuigi Villaseñor chief brand officer, tasking the Rhude designer, who is also a minority owner of the team, with the fashion direction for the club, as well as turning it into a lifestyle brand.
Villaseñor gave a preview at what Como 1907 fans could expect during his Rhude spring 2025 ready-to-wear men’s runway show, which he staged in Lake Como. Following that, he’s overseen also exclusive drops for the team, including the most recent collaboration with Hublot.
As reported, the two parties released the Hublot Classic Fusion Como Edition, a 42-mm chronograph encased in a sleek black ceramic case with a deep blue dial, made available in a limited run of 50 pieces retailing for 17,500 euros each.