On the terraces of the English stadiums, along with the hooligans, there were men and women who loved dressing following a specific aesthetic, the one of Casual culture.
The movement originated in the Merseyside area as a result of the influence of the scousers, how the Liverpool people were called. The Reds supporters were used to tour around Europe following their team even during the off days, especially in Italy, and they would take back to England the brands they spotted abroad. This choice was aimed at keeping a low profile mainly to differentiate themselves from the hooligans, who on the other hand were immediately recognizable since they would always wear the jersey of their teams.
After breaking apart at the end of the ‘80s, the Casual culture made a huge comeback in the first decade of the ‘90s, spreading all over Europe.
In the ‘2000s things changed once again, the movement untied from the football landscape reaching a new value, without losing its heritage.
In the images shot by Vincenzo Schioppa we journeyed throughout the female Casual world.
The Casual culture born in the ‘80s on the English terraces relegated women, while focusing on virile masculinity.
C.P. Company breaks down the barriers of this culture, especially the ones concerning gender, in the same way Massimo Osti did with sportswear: the brand has always manufactured only menswear pieces, nonetheless girls would wear them, reinterpreting their design and revolutionizing their values, both on the terraces and on the street. Today those same girls reveal in a new light made of confidence and strength, a movement that for too long did not receive the respect it deserved.
“"Are you someone's girlfriend?" One of the questions I was asked the most, at the stadium and outside. Not to hit on him but asked almost as to state a conviction. As if I couldn't just find myself there for something I liked; I had to be a man's rib.”
Shared and inseparable stories, tales of chemistry and fights, choirs and cultural aggregation, all aspects shown on the terraces through a codified style. A look at the football world through the Goggle lenses that Osti in a visionary moment decided to combine with his jackets, dictating the rules of functionality paired with a specific taste.
“Suddenly my clothes were defining me. They expressed who I was, they were my hallmark, and it was clear to everyone. I respected a very precise dress code. Everything had a meaning and nothing was accidental.”
“I remember my first C.P. Company jacket. It was not a simple jacket, it was a symbol, an aesthetic choice that defined me.”
The ruined terraces of a suburban football pitch, the mud, the wallpaper of a pub express and reflect the essence of the casual Culture through its positive values.
“As a child, together with my dad, I saw my team play in the scorching sun, under the rain, in Serie A, in Serie B, and even in C.”
Photography Vincenzo Schioppa
Photo Assistant Alessandro Bigi
Stylist Leo Soncini
Grooming Assia Caiazzo
Girls Eva Basola, Julia Lellouche, Marta Giallombardo
Art Direction & Production nss factory
Producer Marta Stella Brienza
