Most Fashionable Player: The Making Of OC's Fanatic Kits

In the midst of 2014 World Cup madness, this Saturday, Opening Ceremony will participate in the much-hyped NYC version: the 13th annual adidas Fanatic soccer tournament—or simply, Adicup. The six vs. six, all-day event is comprised of invite-only teams from the local creative and fashion community, and OC FC will be representing in our sixth straight year. With free BBQ, burgers, and refreshments on the sidelines, this is basically one big (stylish!) party. 

• The format is simple:

1. 6 vs. 6, 7 groups of 4 teams
2. 3 group-stage matches of 15 minutes each
3. Each group winner and the best 2nd-place-scoring team move on to the elimination bracket

Opening Ceremony has been a staple at the event, along with our friends, family, and fans. The competition is tough (I got a black eye last year). And, it seems like more than a few teams have some ringers among them (is that ex-pro really working in your kitchen?), but it's a great time and our level of play has improved every year. While we haven't had great success yet on the pitch, we've proudly won the Best Kit award four out of the last five years. After all, we all know that looking good on the field is equally important as actually winning games, right?

As a player, I've had so much fun each year that this event has rekindled my love for the game. As a fan, drinking cold beers while inhaling a pulled-pork sandwich and screaming for your friends on a pier overlooking downtown Manhattan sounds pretty ideal. Sure, sometimes the line between player and fan can blur, but beer is not recommended until you've lost your first two games and you know you're not making it to the next round.


2014: Drumroll, please! Presenting this year's Team OC jersey. 

2013: We air-conditioned these kits—replacing key panels with sheer mesh. Photos courtesy of Adidas

2012: Here, we went back to the original Opening Ceremony torch logo and covered the shorts with vintage soccer club patches. 

2011: These kits were inspired by the classic Opening Ceremony Diamond Print Hoodie and embellished with our "Mr. Face" logo and soccer ball patches.
2010: We made big stencils and spray-painted these on the roof of 35 Howard Street! We also developed a soccer ball iteration of the monogram logo.