As the world turns its attention to this summer’s biggest footballing spectacle, Slow Projects – the forward-thinking design studio reworking the future of fashion – has launched It’s Whatever You Want It To Be, a campaign that shifts the spotlight to the stories behind the women who are shaping the game, both on and off the pitch.
At the heart of this striking new collection is Grace Clinton, Manchester United and England’s rising midfield maestro, fronting a capsule that’s as much about identity as it is about football. Alongside amateur footballers Talia D and Verena Camesasca, Clinton has co-designed a limited run of upcycled garments that are deeply personal, created in collaboration with Ed Sonnex, Creative Director and Founder at Slow Projects.
More than just fashion, this is storytelling in fabric form — pieces cut from reworked kits, vintage textiles, and pre-loved materials, stitched together with narrative threads of pride, community, and self-expression. The aim? To celebrate how football exists beyond 90 minutes, influencing everything from creativity to confidence to the clothes we wear.
For Clinton, this collaboration was an opportunity to channel her energy, imagination, and personal roots through a new medium. “Creating this piece with Slow Projects was a really special experience,” she says. “I wanted it to reflect my creativity & flare on the pitch, aligning with comfort. Wearability was a big factor for me. I feel like the piece is slightly out of my comfort zone in my day-to-day apparel, but once I wore it, I felt confident & at ease.”
Shot at her family home in Liverpool – specifically in the garden where her earliest memories of the game were formed – the campaign takes on a raw, intimate tone. Every stitch holds significance: from the reverse lining to subtle frequency wave details that nod to her spiritual beliefs. “Football has shaped so much of who I am, and this was a chance to show that in a different way, through fashion and creativity,” Clinton adds.
It’s this blend of honesty and artistry that defines the collection. And with Back Market – Europe’s leading refurbished tech marketplace – providing the phones, laptops, and cameras used across design, documentation and final campaign photography, sustainability was more than a concept; it was the foundation. As Luke Forshaw, Head of Brand at Back Market, puts it: “Some of the most original ideas are built from what already exists… It’s exactly the kind of innovation we’re proud to champion.”
For Sonnex, who’s long admired the pioneers of women’s football, this campaign was about more than just aesthetics. “The growth of the women’s game shows there’s space in society for more balance, care, and creativity,” he says. “I can’t pretend to know what it’s like to pioneer in such a male-dominated sport, but I’ve always admired the women who do – it’s a big inspiration for how I want to challenge the fashion industry.”
It’s Whatever You Want It To Be is as much a manifesto as it is a collection. It asks us to see football as more than competition – as culture. And through the lens of three very different women, it celebrates the beautiful game as a canvas for creativity, empowerment and individuality.
The campaign is powered by refurbished tech from Back Market, with all design, content and photography produced using second-hand devices – reinforcing the idea that sustainability and sport can go hand in hand.
