A collaboration between Joshua Gibbons and Classic Football Shirts, this series of portrait shots captures a series of iconic vintage shirts with an unconventional model front an centre. The man in question is "Cockney Stan", a local legend with a love for the game. We speak to Joshua about the project.
What can you tell us about this project?
"I’ve known Stan for years, he’s somewhat of a celebrity in my local area, especially amongst my generation and I've always found him to be a fascinating figure not only because of his cockney roots but because he is a truly peculiar man. So for those reasons, I began photographing him nearly 3 years ago and the project has lead in many different directions and seriously tested my abilities as a visual storyteller. In terms of Stan’s original and current motive behind his involvement, it's simply to find himself a second, much younger wife. I don’t even say that jokingly!"
What did you want to convey in this piece of work?
"I think the key element when talking with Matt over at Classic Football Shirts was to intertwine our collective sense of nostalgia for these beautiful shirts with Stan’s individual connection with them. Also, with CFS holding their amazing 'Fabric of Football Exhibition' in the heart of Shoreditch the same week we shot the story, it made total sense to pick Stan who's a massive football freak and a thorough bred Cockney, as the protagonist of the story."
Was this a little different to the subjects you’re usually shooting?
"It some ways yes, in other ways no. What fascinates me about photographing football shirts is that they're designed to be hugely emotive pieces and have the capacity to inform people of your socio/economic stance, nationality or political persuasion. Whilst some might view that as a bit of a social minefield I struggle to think of any other mainstream fashion piece that can communicate such strong tribalistic themes and a sense of identity."
Did you have a favourite moment or shirt from shooting this project?
"Unfortunately, it’s impossible for me to nail down one particular shirt, I love all of them! The Arsenal shirt as I’m a lifelong Gooner; the England shirt as Euro 96 is a just a part of my generation's early collective footballing memory; the Roma shirt, as they in my opinion have always had the most beautifully designed shirts; Marseille because well, it just looks pukka; and of course the Argentina shirt because I don’t believe there to be a more iconic national shirt and I have a deep fascination with El Diego."
"When shooting with Stan, there’s about a million memorable moments, especially when we shoot in public but there was one particular moment on this production that did make me laugh. On the back back streets of Bethnal Green whilst setting up, we were hanging all of these super expensive and collectable shirts on the boot of Stan's car and two guys, clearly on their way to The Classic Football Shirts Pop Up Shop around the corner on Brick Lane, came up to ask us how much we wanted for the England shirt. They thought we were setting up a car boot sale! I immediately thought to myself, what a great theme for a future football fashion editorial."
How big of a football fan are you?
"I’m a huge fan. I've got a gigantic appetite for the culture of the game and I play, all be it badly, twice a week. I could not imagine my existence without football being a part of it."
Has this given you an appetite to do more in the world of football?
"Most definitely, one of my goals moving forward is to shoot more football related stories and for my practice to become more deeply embedded in global football culture."
You can see more of Josh's work here.
