Crystal Palace concocts new first in Premier League

Crystal Palace, the London-based club, have hired the league’s first creative head to manage their clothing lines and design collaborations.

With the hiring of Kenny Annan-Jonathan, Palace have become the first Premier League team to have a creative director, as per Business of Fashion.

This is a historic first for the league since no other soccer team has ever had a manager in charge of their apparel line or fashion partnerships.

Kenny Annan-Jonathan, a South London native and fashion designer, has worked in the industry for many years. He launched The MailRoom, a sports marketing business, in 2019.

Via his business, he has negotiated endorsement deals for players such as former Crystal Palace captain Wilfried Zaha and Premier League midfielder Michail Antonio.

In addition to Nike, Adidas, Puma, and 424, he has collaborated with a number of other major companies.

Crystal Palace to debut Fall/Winter 2023 collection

More and more sports organizations are looking at the rich opportunities fashion partnerships present. It would allow them to reach their worldwide fan base and increase merchandising sales.

The debut of Crystal Palace’s Fall/Winter 2023 collection is Annan-Jonathan’s first major undertaking in his new position, as reported by Business of Fashion. Along with this, he has lofty goals of extending the club’s fan base by making novel things beyond the scope of traditional sports team stuff.

This is a move similar to those made by lesser-known clubs like the Parisian football club Red Star, which Crystal Palace is currently mimicking.

Their former Manchester United player and current creative director, David Bellion, is responsible for the latter’s inventive collaborations and jersey designs, which have attracted fans all over the world.

What did Kenny Annan-Jonathan say?

Annan-Jonathan, elated by the new partnership, told Voice Online: “Joining the team at Crystal Palace is an incredible opportunity to merge my love for sports and my vision for reimagining ways to connect and engage with supporters and communities, as well as those who may be new to the club, through innovative and creative products and partnerships.

“Through fresh, creative retail ranges, I want to help show the world why Crystal Palace and its fanbase are unique to any other in the league. The average fan and how they express their love for sports has evolved and it’s time that the sporting world evolves with them.”

Photo credit: IMAGO / Pond5 Images