Soccer Fashion Is Back, With Racy Edge

The color red and the Korean flag dominated the Korean fashion scene back in June 2002.

More than 10 million red “Be the Reds” t-shirts were reportedly sold, and at the time, the color red was so popular that Korea experienced a red fabric and dye shortage. World Cup fashion, expressed in hip-hop styled midriff attire and Taegeukgi skirts, was young and diverse.

Today, with the approach of the 2006 World Cup, these fashions are appearing again on the streets of Korea.

World Cup fashion has become far more diverse in design and goods, as companies that missed out on the golden opportunity of the 2002 Korea-Japan World Cup have rushed to release their products to market. World Cup fashion in 2002 was all about a t-shirt and Taegeukgi, but this time companies have introduced one-piece garments and tank tops for the World Cup.

Starting with the introduction of the new uniform for the national soccer team on February 13, Nike released tank tops, t-shirts and dresses with taegeuk and tiger patterns printed or embroidered on them. In particular, “Nike Sports Culture,” Nike’s casual brand, has introduced sleeveless dresses that emulate the designs of the national soccer team uniforms of Korea, Brazil and Portugal.

The Basic House, a garment company, has introduced a “Reds Go Together” t-shirt in collaboration with the Red Devils, the national soccer team’s booster club. The company says that one can make an active World Cup fashion statement by layering the shirt with a white long-sleeve t-shirt and wearing a denim mini skirt and knee-length striped stockings.

World Cup fashion is big in other countries as well. The “World Cup Fever” clothing line released by EXR, a casual sportswear brand, adds white and light blue colors to the colors of the national flag of Germany, the host country of the 2006 World Cup. The line stresses a sexy look, including leggings, mini skirts, and tight t-shirts.

Fashion companies are diversifying into World Cup accessories as well, and recommend the use of World Cup fashion accessories such as soccer socks, kneepads, goalkeeper gloves, red headscarves, and World Cup logo face and arm stickers to create a particular look.

Re-Ming, a designer whose real name is Kim Min-a, says, “A sexier fashion code incorporating the color red, traditional patterns and designs that reveal one’s body line, seems to be characteristic of this year’s World Cup fashion offerings.”

kimhs@donga.com