I
’m perched on a leather armchair in a swanky private suite in the Bulgari Hotel in London — a glass of champagne in one hand and an Italian pastry in the other. But the fizz and food are not why I’m here. I’m here for the official unveiling of the new kit of FC Como Women football team, created in collaboration with Nike. The event marks the first time that Nike has partnered with an independent women’s Serie A football club (the highest league in Italy) and I am one of only ten people getting my very own shirt. The experience was organised by Mercury 13, an investment company that recently took over ownership of FC Como Women.
My FC Como shirt awaits me in the next room. After being unboxed by a white-gloved associate, it’s tailored to my specifications and embroidered with my initials. Then I’m sent on my way: I can expect my shirt to be hand-delivered to my house, where I’m told I can also scan it to unlock a personalised microsite with season-long access to all FC Como home matches. Mercury 13 is positioning itself as a female-centric football brand built specifically with an eye to collaborations with luxury companies.
The kit marks the first time that Nike has partnered with an independent women’s Serie A football club
