Move over Gareth Southgate, the Lionesses have a new ‘It' waistcoat

Telegraph

8 hours ago

Footballers are in fashion right now. This week, Dior released two videos on Instagram featuring French footballer Kylian Mbappé, teasing its spring/summer 2026 collection under new creative director Jonathan Anderson. And while the Women's Euros don't officially kick off in Switzerland until next week, the Lionesses have just unveiled their official tailoring collection: 13 mix-and-match pieces the fashion-forward players will wear for all their official off-pitch moments.
The 2025 Womenswear FA Collection, designed by Marks & Spencer – the official tailor for the England teams – features some winning looks. Highlights include an asymmetric waistcoat (£35), barrel-leg trousers in a soft but stretchy twill (£39.50) that build on the success of the sell-out Sienna Miller jeans, and a cropped cotton shirt with exaggerated cuffs that looks far more expensive than its £25 price tag.
This is the second time the retailer has designed a collection for the Lionesses, following its debut ahead of the Fifa Women's World Cup in 2023. 'Last time, we wanted to present a tailored collection that feminised and personalised key styles that might have felt unexpected for sportspeople,' says Lisa Illis, head of womenswear design at Marks & Spencer. 'This year, we wanted to elevate that even further – bringing in some unexpected elements and including as many trend-led pieces as we could.'
That meant looking at the pieces the M&S customer was already buying into – such as waistcoats and barrel-leg trousers – and incorporating them into a capsule collection of coordinating separates in ecru, black and khaki, designed to be styled in multiple ways. The campaign imagery features players Beth Mead, Jess Park and Nikita Parris wearing key looks from the collection, including a short-sleeved jacket and matching shorts – a winning office heatwave outfit for the rest of us, too.
Many members of the team are invested in fashion off the pitch. JW Anderson previously invited Lioness Alessia Russo to his show during London Fashion Week, dressing her in a double denim ensemble. Leah Williamson has had deals with Gucci, while teammate Chloe Kelly starred in a Calvin Klein campaign shot by New York-based photographer and creative director Brianna Capozzi. Illis says the players had input into the design: 'We asked them for input along the way, showed them sketches and fabrics, and fitted them at training sessions – so it was a very collaborative process.'
Illis says the players loved the design details – from the dramatic cuffs on the shirt, which 'add a bit of drama,' to the buttons that 'deserve being looked at.' The knee-length shorts (£29.50), a trending length this season, feature a 'tailored waistband with belt loops that really emphasise the waist in a way that's key right now.'
The waistcoat – a trending piece for M&S, with 81 womenswear styles currently available online – also offers a playful nod to former England Women's manager Gareth Southgate 's now-iconic waistcoat from the 2018 World Cup. 'It's a funny take on that, but designed in a new and feminine way,' says Illis.
The fabrics have been carefully chosen to provide the flexibility athletes need – even off the pitch – while also meeting sustainability standards. The trousers, for example, are made from a twill blend that includes Ecovero, a recycled polyester, while the black vest is crafted from sustainably sourced viscose and the white shirt from responsibly sourced cotton. 'The fabrics are fit for purpose – so the players feel comfortable on the tour bus, but still flattered when doing official duties or appearing in front of the camera,' says Illis.
The players then selected styles from the collection to coordinate their own looks – something James Gray, the FA's Commercial Director, says 'showcases the squad's unity, while giving our players the freedom to express their own identity and personal style.'
The Lionesses, who won the UEFA Women's Euro 2022 with a 2–1 victory over Germany, have fared better in the style stakes than the men's team – who, despite coming close in 2020, have yet to win the Euros. On the pitch, the women present a united front, but off it, they each have a strong sense of personal style. Russo, a regular at London Fashion Week – including the JW Anderson show – often favours sleek tailoring and glamorous dresses.
Teammate Mary Earps has worn designs by David Koma, the London-based designer who has dressed Beyoncé and created a range for Victoria's Secret. Lauren James, by contrast, leans into street style, often wearing labels like Justin Bieber's brand Drew House. Despite growing up in the public eye, few of them have put a foot wrong, fashion-wise.
The men's team, by contrast, has had a more chequered style history – though not always through fault of their own. Rewinding to the oft-cited World Cup win in 1966, it's the sharp suits by then Leeds-based tailors Burton that stand out (along with the cup).
But things took a turn for the worse in the 1980s, when the players – who complained of feeling restricted – went for looser styles for their official pictures. The taupe-coloured Paul Smit-designed viscose, baggy suits paired with navy shirts for the 1998 World Cup were a particular low.
David Beckham brought a frisson of fashion back to the beautiful game. His input on the England team's official 2002 suit was notable: he requested a wider leg than was fashionable at the time – a 20-inch parallel trouser – and narrower lapels on the blazer, which featured a prominent Three Lions badge.
Later, in 2010, Italian manager Fabio Capello took a firm guiding hand with the collection designed by Marks & Spencer in collaboration with bespoke tailor Timothy Everest, using wool from the Alfred Brown mill in Leeds.
Our boys' off-pitch fashion moments have been just as varied. Over his career, David Beckham earned both plaudits and derision for some of his more daring choices – rhinestone tracksuits and vinyl trenches among the more criticised examples – but he consistently starred in campaigns, including many with Emporio Armani. Teammate Wayne Rooney, however, never quite hit the fashion mark.
Today's players, including captain Harry Kane, are a much more consistently stylish group. Like the women's collection, the national team's official tailored collection – designed by M&S – features a capsule of smart separates that suit their individual styles. 'It's been a much more personalised approach,' says Illis.
She says she's excited to see how the Lionesses perform. 'I don't have tickets, but I'm an avid supporter. They're at the top of their game, and I know they're proud to be playing in this tournament and to serve as role models for other women – especially younger girls growing up. For me personally, it's amazing to be part of this: to contribute to the design and development of the collection and to see them at their very best.'
Get the Lioness look
The 2025 Womenswear FA Collection is available in selected stores from June 26