An exceptionally talented designer and illustrator, Angelo Trofa is also a little obsessed with football shirts. Each year the London-based creative self-publishes a magazine highlighting his latest collaborations and fantasy concepts inspired by culture and fashion. For Football Shirt Concepts, Vol. 5 I was honoured to be interviewed alongside some esteemed fellow kit enthusiasts, including illustrator Stanley Chow and beIN Sports commentator Andres Cordero.

You can read FSC5 in its entirety here.

Both my design and written work has regularly been featured on influential soccer culture website, In Bed With Maradona.

Articles

“El Más Grande” (June 2017)
“My Pink Pages: How La Gazzetta dello Sport Changed My Life” (February 2013)
“Black & Blue: What Mario Balotelli Means for Italy (And Italy)” (February 2013)

Design

World Cup Posters Reimagined (March 2014)
Il Derby della Madonnina: A Visual History (May 2012)

One crisp fall day in 2016 I received a text from Dan Sandison of Mundial magazine. He asked if I was busy the following afternoon (I was but decided to see what Dan had in mind first). He then explained he needed someone to interview “Andrea”. He didn’t even need to say the rest of his name—I knew he was talking about the Italian soccer legend, World Cup winner, NYCFC star and style icon Andrea Pirlo. Suddenly whatever plans I had had were being cancelled as I began to prepare for this once-in-a-lifetime encounter with calcio royalty (I’d seen Pirlo play while living in Italy—and even spotted him once in a hotel in Florence—but I’d never met him in the flesh). When Pirlo arrived at the High Line Hotel he clearly knew we knew he knew we were in awe of him, but as we strolled up and down Tenth Avenue he turned out to be down-to-earth and relatively chatty–more or less your typical ragazzo, only with nicer shoes. He even kept his cool during an outdoor photoshoot with staunch Liverpool supporter Jonathan Frederick Turton, who managed to mention “Istanbul” within the first five minutes (and also took these terrific photos). For days after the interview I could only think of all the other things I could’ve asked him, mostly concerning facial hair.

The finished article, entitled “Italian American” was the cover story of Issue 08 of Mundial. Read it here.

Almost a year later I met Pirlo again at an event Carragher’s on 38th Street, and to my surprise and delight he remembered me!

Grazie di tutto campione—il calcio ti mancherà!

In addition to producing artwork for the official Fiorentina 2015-16 kit launch at the Le Coq Sportif flagship store in London’s Covent Garden, I also wrote articles on two of Fiorentina’s former captains, Giancarlo Antognoni and Angelo Di Livio. The work was included in a special Gzzetta-inspired free newspaper, appropriately entitled Viola, and handed out to guests at the event.

Read both articles here.

I recently had the privilege of being interviewed by Vancouver-based designer Jon Rogers. Together with two fellow Canadians — his brother, former professional footballer Mark Rogers, and Vancouver Whitecaps commentator Peter Schaad — Jon has recently launched a new site called Footy Soldiers.

Read the full interview here.
Listen to the Footy Soldiers show here.
Check out Jon Rogers’ gorgeous work here.

I was recently interviewed by Chicago-based writer James Patrick Gordon for a profile on Paste Magazine. While the feature centers on my work and love of football, the thoughtful Mr. Gordon seemed keen to seek out the deeper, underlying themes behind what makes me tick:

Looking at his work, Taylor’s images and writings form a kind of love letter to the beautiful game, one you discover hidden away in an old box in the attic decades later, perhaps long after you and the other party in your affair had parted company. It summons joy and melancholy and fading memory. Perhaps the word that best describes Taylor’s designs is saudade, a Portuguese lacuna that means either “longing for an absent other” or “nostalgia for a future that never happened.”

What Gordon says makes sense: I was born on January 30, which is the Brazilian day of saudade. So if you want my ruminations on football, music, and design and much more in between go ahead and click right here.

If you happen to be in northern Wales this weekend you can be among the first to get your hands on a special preview issue of British Ideas Corporation. Devised by GQ writer Lee Gale, the magazine will be launched at Festival No. 6, a three-day music event taking place in the picturesque town of Portmeirion. My contribution consists of a brief profile (with accompanying graphics, of course) of the Welsh kit of the late-70s, a football shirt no less hideous than it was innovative (see below). Portmeirion was the setting for the cult 1960s TV series The Prisoner starring Patrick McGoohan, from whose lead character the festival takes its name. This year’s edition features a diverse line-up of pop notables, including Beck, Pet Shop Boys, Kelis, Peter Hook, Neneh Cherry… not to mention Motown legends Martha Reeves & The Vandellas! Look out for the official launch of British Ideas Corporation in March 2015. And remember, it doesn’t matter what you wear, just as long as you are there…

Fifteen years ago this summer I came to New York for the very first time. I spent a week at the On The Ave Hotel on 77th Street and Broadway. The hotel has since had a massive renovation and today calls itself NYLO New York City. They’ve also improved the decor and staff uniforms! Here’s Chris looking cool in a Chile ’62 tee:

World Cup games will be shown in the LOCL bar in the lobby of NYLO, so be sure to stop in for a beer and remember to check out the t-shirts!

If you’re in London this Thursday be sure to check out the World Cup Legends event! The evening will incorporate an exhibition of artwork, signed match balls and football shirts, as well as a panel discussion… plus special guests! Not only that but some of my own artwork will be featured!

World Cup Legends
Thursday, May 1
6:30-8:30pm
Waterstones Piccadilly
205-206 Piccadilly
London

The event is free, but you have to register. To do so click here. For more information visit the Twitter page of the event’s organizer, Amar Shah. Read all about Amar’s extraordinary World Cup Legends project here.

I got my first ever foreign printed press today courtesy of Argentine daily Página/12! The Buenos Aires paper ran an article by Javier Aguirre (no, not that one) in its Thursday supplement NO. Entitled “Vinilo FC”, Aguirre’s piece explores the relationship between music and football, as well as featuring some good quotes from yours truly.

If you are unable to get your hands on a copy of today’s paper, you can read the full article here.
¡La púa no se mancha!

Following its appearance in Monday’s Telegraph, my LPFC project has gained considerable momentum and today found itself on the homepage of The Guardian! The project was featured as part of the site’s “Beautiful Games” series, which highlights the work of artists that pertains in some way to sport.

In what constitutes my first ever design-related printed press mention, my LPFC project was featured in this morning’s Telegraph sports supplement! The David Beckham LP was the “Picture of the Week” in Alan Tyers’ Premier League Review. What a way to start your Monday morning!

My “City In Chains” project was featured on Fast Company not once but twice this week! First in this Co.Create article by Joe Berkowitz; then in this Co.Design article by Dan Nosowitz. Both authors discuss the work as a commentary on New York’s shifting socio-economic landscape. Thanks guys!

I was asked by The Huffington Post to comment on my “City In Chains” project. HuffPo calls the work “a bit sinister”, which I’m going to take as a compliment. Check it out here.

My Metropolitana di Firenze project is featured in this month’s issue of The Florentine, Florence’s English-language newspaper. Read the full January 2014 issue here (turn to page 31).

The back-and-forth between Brooklyn and Manhattan is now being touted as a full-blown borough war by the Village Voice no less. I didn’t mean for things to go this far…