Richard Mendoza
Christopher Gove
Soccer Haircuts
Retro Kit Details
top five
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How timeless soccer kit looks and contemporary taper fades unite seamlessly the American Crew ethos.
The most anticipated event in global soccer has finally arrived, bringing an electric, unmistakable energy to culture, fashion, and style. At the intersection of this sports-driven movement are two distinct visionaries:
Richard Mendoza, the legendary NYC master craftsman behind Filthy Rich Barbershop known online as "Rich the Barber," and Chris Gove, the innovative founder and creative director of London-based Percival Menswear. While Mendoza interprets the spirit of the game through the sharp, expressive canvas of soccer hair culture, Gove translates it into premium, nostalgic apparel inspired by vintage pitch style. Partnering up with American Crew—the premier supplier ofmen's grooming products—both creators champion the diversity of men's style. They recognize that whether a man is stepping onto the pitch or navigating modern city life, his look is an authentic expression of identity that deserves a confident, high-performance finish.
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For Richard Mendoza, soccer provides an unparalleled global runway where an athlete’s hair serves as a defining mark of personal style. From his bustling chair in Queens, New York, he sees a direct link between on-field confidence and creative grooming. When breaking down his top five favorite soccer haircuts, Mendoza embraces everything from high-precision classics to texturized, effortless movement. "One—I like a skin fade with a tool around and maybe a little designs," he starts, highlighting the sharp, graphical lines that stand out under stadium lights. His second favorite look focuses on clean dimensions, blending "a little bit of a texturized fringe with a blowout and a taper fade".
"One—I like a skin fade with a tool around and maybe a little designs,"
Mendoza's appreciation for diversity in grooming extends into more relaxed, lived-in aesthetics that rely heavily on the right styling products. For his third choice, he spotlights a trend making a massive comeback on the modern pitch. "I like the mob haircut where it's more like messy and it's like very, uh, unstyled," Mendoza explains. "But when you add a little product, it just looks insane". Rounding out his top picks, he looks toward length and intricate structure, stating that he loves "a long hair with—either long up to here and just let it wave out," alongside an appreciation for "people with braids and a nice shape up".
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"I love the retro flocked logos."
Gove's final three kit details transition from textured finishes to classic, structural silhouettes that define the smart-casual balance of menswear. His third favorite style is "straight up, it's just a collar kit. Just classy, smart," a look that effortlessly bridges the gap between the stadium and daily life. For number four, Gove leans into graphic athletic heritage, choosing "kits that have a branded taping down the sleeve, whether it's a set-in sleeve or a raglan," referencing iconic vintage Umbro designs. Finally, his fifth choice relies on a timeless silhouette: "just tucked-in shirt and shorts. Such a banging look".
"just tucked-in shirt and shorts. Such a banging look."
At the Hypebeast Cup,Chris Gove looks at the world game through the intricate, nostalgic lens of historic British football apparel. Gove counts down his top five retro football kit details that heavily inform his design process today. "Number one is a jacquard base fabric, so where they weave a pattern logo with the same color thread throughout the base and print on top," Gove shares, calling it a "proper ’90s trend". For his second detail, he bypasses modern heat transfers in favor of tactile depth: "I love the retro flocked logos. So rather than embroidering on the details, they would have a little fuzzy, flocked logo".
Ultimately, these two distinct perspectives on soccer subculture beautifully unite under a singular vision of self-expression. Whether Mendoza is using American Crew Fiber to sculpt a perfect freestyle flow or Gove is tailoring a sharp knit inspired by vintage sportswear, the mission remains entirely aligned with the American Crew ethos.
By providing the tools to enhance natural texture, celebrate individual grooming choices, and subvert the classics, American Crew continues to empower the modern man to show up looking and feeling like a champion.
Both creators demonstrate that the global game is a living celebration of heritage, personal style, and identity.
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