Vancouver FC is thinking pink this year, thanks to its new B次元官网网址淐herry Blossom Kit.B次元官网网址� And hoping to look good while helping make a difference.
The away uniform, inspired by the blossoming of the approximately 40,000 cherry trees found in the Vancouver area, is the brainchild of Stephanie Wood, the Canadian Premier League clubB次元官网网址檚 vice-president of marketing and business development.
A portion of the jersey sales this season will be donated to the Pink Shirt Day campaign, which raises awareness of bullying as well as supporting programs that B次元官网网址渇oster childrenB次元官网网址檚 healthy self-esteem.B次元官网网址�
Pink Shirt Day originated in Berwick, N.S., in 2007, when high schoolers David Shepherd and Travis Price organized a protest to wear pink in sympathy with a Grade 9 student bullied for wearing a pink shirt.
B次元官网网址淗aving kids, that really resonated with me,B次元官网网址� said Wood, who has a two- and five-year-old.
B次元官网网址淏ut also I thought B次元官网网址楬ang on, weB次元官网网址檙e a menB次元官网网址檚 soccer team. If 28 grown men can wear pink, little boys can wear pink,B次元官网网址橞次元官网网址� she added. B次元官网网址淎nyone can wear pink. It doesnB次元官网网址檛 matter who you are. And I think thatB次元官网网址檚 a really strong message from us to help with that inclusivity and everything happening in the world right now.B次元官网网址�
The last Wednesday in February marks Pink Shirt Day in Canada.
ItB次元官网网址檚 a worthy cause. And for Wood, the colour ties in with cherry blossoms, which signify the start of spring B次元官网网址� and the CPL season.
WoodB次元官网网址檚 goal is to combine football with fashion, coming up with a look that you can wear out to more than a soccer game.
That led her to this yearB次元官网网址檚 Eagle Kit, the clubB次元官网网址檚 primary jersey introduced last month B次元官网网址� a black strip that features a feathered cape design that drapes down the back of jerseys.
Vancouver, whose official mascot is SpB次元官网网址櫭硄B次元官网网址檈s the Bald Eagle, is known as the Eagles. The club motto, B次元官网网址淪omething in the air,B次元官网网址� is inscribed in red on the back of the kit.
Wood got the idea after seeing one fashion show after another feature capes. She wasnB次元官网网址檛 sure about how it might translate to a jersey but is an unabashed fan now.
B次元官网网址淚t just has this menacing look to it and IB次元官网网址檓 in love with it now,B次元官网网址� she said.
While Wood and husband Joe are from Sheffield, England B次元官网网址� she supports Sheffield Wednesday F.C. while Joe follows Sheffield United B次元官网网址� her background is in marketing and branding. LB次元官网网址橭r茅al Professionnel hair products and Breitling watches were two of the brands she worked on.
Her husband played tennis on a scholarship at the University of New Mexico. When he returned home, the couple decided to travel across Canada and ended up falling in love with Vancouver and making it home.
Joe Wood is now director of player development at Tennis B.C.
The Woods became friends of former Canadian international Rob Friend, co-owner of Vancouver FC and Pacific FC, and his wife Mari.
WoodB次元官网网址檚 branding background interested Friend, who offered her a job first as PacificB次元官网网址檚 director of marketing and merchandise and then in 2022 her current role with Vancouver.
While initially skeptical at the move, Wood now calls it B次元官网网址渢he best thing I ever did. I absolutely love it.B次元官网网址�
Taking care of the team kit became one of her many projects.
B次元官网网址淚 wanted to do something that was different but was Canadian,B次元官网网址� she said.
Witness PacificB次元官网网址檚 indigenous jersey, designed by Coast Salish artist Maynard Johnny Jr., which was used in 2022 and B次元官网网址�23. And other kits inspired by the Douglas fir, ocean and beaches.
Wood works with Macron, the Italian sportswear company that clothes CPL teams, with each kit essentially completed a year in advance of its launch. That means VancouverB次元官网网址檚 inaugural 2023 kit was completed before the team had a brand, logo or name.
They opted for black as a primary colour, with names of local communities embossed on the jersey. The secondary jersey was black and red hoops B次元官网网址� a homage to BrazilB次元官网网址檚 Flamengo kit and a more retro look that was the leagueB次元官网网址檚 first to feature a hoops design.
Wood has been waiting for WednesdayB次元官网网址檚 launch of the new away kit since signing off on it in February 2023.
Soon after Major League SoccerB次元官网网址檚 D.C. United launched its own B次元官网网址淐herry BlossomB次元官网网址� away kit for 2023 and B次元官网网址�24, citing the trees gifted to the U.S. capital by Japan as a sign of friendship and unity. Inter MiamiB次元官网网址檚 pink shirts have been seen worldwide thanks to Argentina star Lionel Messi. And the film B次元官网网址淏arbieB次元官网网址� has also given pink a new lease on life.
The fashionista in Wood enjoys the fact that CPL teams introduce two new jerseys a year. But knowing money is tight these days, her preference would be one new one each season.
The club is doing its bit by offering season-ticket holders a 40 percent discount on the 2024 home jersey.
Vancouver opens CPL play April 14 against WinnipegB次元官网网址檚 Valour FC at Willoughby Park in suburban Langley.
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