Sportswear takes up more room in our wardrobes these days than it used to, and not only to do sport. We are witnessing a change in tastes, collectively looking for clothes that are more comfortable, technological fabrics and sporty designs.

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Partnerships between brands and artists of all types with the big sportswear fashion houses, or its inclusion on the shelves and hangers of clothing stores known for fashion are already common and we’re happy to say that the trend has brought us a number of pleasant surprises.

Today we’d like to talk about Pasquale Daniel, a boy from London with a degree in Sportswear from the London College of Fashion. Pasquale won the competition run by the German brand “Falke” (Falke 2020) which consisted of designing and creating a waterproof jacket that was breathable for running. The idea for the competition comes from the modern need for multifunctional clothing for people who use the city as their gym and who need to be ready for any, increasingly unpredictable meteorological conditions.

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A fan of Arsenal, he created a line of technical garments for his final project inspired by designs used by his favorite team in the 90s.

Before his work in the world of fashion, he was a chef and he still owns his a fried chicken restaurant, the Gravy Train, in London.

For So Catchy! Where Fashion Begins we talked with Pasquale about the present and future of sportswear.

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SO CATCHY!: When did you realize you wanted to work in Fashion?

PASQUALE DANIEL: I’d say it was one of the crafts I’d always been interested in growing up, even as a chef when I was younger I was very particular about what chef whites I’d purchase, usually opting for well fitted chef blacks instead because I thought they dropped nicer on me. I decided to get into sportswear and technical garment design because i felt it had a purpose. I like design but I hate the wastefulness of fashion. I wanted to design garments that were well thought through and constructed and not the ‘throwaway’ fashion you see everywhere. I wanted to create garments that serve human beings and have value.

SC!: Tell us about the collection you presented for your BA?

PD: The collection I presented for my BA was an Arsenal technical menswear line. I’m an Islington boy and natural born gooner firstly. I first thought about it looking at the cool old football prints of the 80s and 90s and also how football fashion culture was lacking next to other sports fashion cultures such as basketball, baseball, even polo etc. I felt our own youth’s willingness to embrace American sports fashion culture while not being particularly into the sports was pretty strange and there was room for football given the right product.  I decided to make it a technical range for those rainy away days and crappy English weather so opted for waterproof Gore-Tex and E-vent polyesters for the 2 outfits constructed. The hooded pullover also includes concealed zips in the midsection and elbows to adjust airflow into the garment. I used the Arsenal 91-93 away print originally by Adidas for the shorts and hooded pullover. This print was made famous by Ian Wright and the late Rocky Rocastle and I felt its one of the most iconic kits ever made. I recreate the print digitally from scratch and used sublimation heat transfer to print it onto the Gore-Tex polyester. Waterproof taping and mesh linings are used internally on both garments.

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David Rocastle celebrates victory for Arsenal against Southampton  in 1992  

SC:! What are you doing right now?

PD: Now I’m working full time as an apparel designer for Fila UK. They head-hunted me online and I feel they’re the perfect place to be for me. I’ve always been crazy into the loud sports inspired designs of 80s and 90s Fila. Although my plans with the brand is to bring back some of that energy and bravado, I want to do it in a modern and innovative way, I don’t like to look back too much, the past has already happened.

SC!: We are witnessing a revolution in Sportswear as it is not anymore pieces only to practice exercise. How do you see the present of sportswear?

PD: I think its going in a good direction. I think collaborations between sportswear brands and fashion brands are the key to changing attitudes. The Nike x Undercover Gyakusou seasonal running collection has changed the way people see running wear and keep surprising each season. Gone are the days you need to wear flouro pink spandex to go for a jog round the block.

SC!: The perfect sportswear garment is…

PD: Functional, beautiful, empowering, surprising.

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SC!: Your favorite sportswear designer or label is…

PD: Errolson Hugh, founder of Acronym. Not necessarily sportswear, more technical fashion, which is what I’m into. His own brand, Acronym, continue to push boundaries and surprise every season. That’s before you get into the Stone Island Shadow Projects seasonal ranges and recent Nike ACG collection done by them also, absolutely ridiculous. Perfect marriage of intelligent design and beautiful aesthetic. Like all the best parts of state-of-the-art architecture/motor engineering and fashion design all merged into garments I just can’t afford right now, haha.

SC!: You can’t stop wearing….

PD: String vests. Extra layer of warmth in the winter. Cool breeze in the summer. Not even the best designer could improve its simple design.

SC!: Sportswear is in need of…

PD: Progression and more mergence into lifestyle fashion. Its already happening, I think people are starting to realise being active should be a normal part of the human experience and not a separate chore.

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SC!: The kind of person you think would wear your pieces is….

PD: Human beings.

SC!: Do you plan to create your own label anytime soon and sell online?

PD: I’m in early stages of creating a small label with vintage clothing store Strong Look, if it comes to fruition it will be sold online, yes.

SC!: Where do you see yourself in the near future?

PD: Still at Fila pushing the brand back to where it should be, and succeeding.

SC!: An online magazine you are in love with….

PD: So Catchy! Of course! Also Viper Mag is King.

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Images courtesy of Pasquale Daniele

Translation and layout by Michael Padilla