It’s that time of the year again. World Cup season is back, which only means one thing: my boyfriend disappears into a month-long relationship with a TV, and I get to decide if the jerseys’ colors look cute (sometimes I even branch out into haircut criticism) while my never-ending questions about that white ball that never quite looks white and the collective emotional breakdown of 90 minutes roll out. I might not fully get what a corner is, but boy do I get jerseys. Stella Jean does too.
Haiti has got quite the Stella Jean treatment this year. I still actively think about their Winter Olympic uniforms, which, luckily for everyone involved, the internet generously appreciated. Moving on to football, Italian-Haitian fashion designer Stella Novarino of Stella Jean is releasing L’Haitana, a line of limited-edition, carefully hand-stitched jerseys. And it feels appropriate, considering it’s been more than half a century since Haiti last appeared at the tournament in 1974.
“The #26 on the back marks a year of rebirth. 52 years later, we celebrate Haiti shining again on football’s biggest stage. It’s never too late to rise, to lift our heads, and make the impossible visible. If your flag does not fly this season… stand anyway. Stand for Haiti. Stand for all who still hunger for the only revolution needed: peace.” wrote the designer on her website, now open for pre-orders. “Wear the Caribbean. Wear it the Haitian way: bold, proud, unbreakable.”
Still, what really stood out was L’Haitana’s campaign and styling. The jerseys were paired with midi peplum skirts (whose silhouettes will be released in the next pre-collection), loyally following the legs while creating volume at the hips. But it wouldn’t be Stella Jean if the clash of patterns and palettes didn’t overwhelm you a little, in the best way possible. Mix in bold jewelry and a pair of face-swallowing sunglasses, and we’re convinced. I know I am, at least.
