Mpls.St.Paul Magazine: The Minnesota Vikings announced a new, limited-edition collection of outerwear, called the “International Collection.” The launch, which comes on the heels of the recent Vikings game in London, merges signature London streetwear style with classic sportswear silhouettes to create more high-fashion alternatives for traditional fan gear—designed to wear on and off the field.

More than a year in development, the collection is a collaboration between Leah O’Connell and Chelsea Adofo-Mensah (who are married to Vikings coach Kevin O’Connell and general manager Kwesi Adofo-Mensah, respectively), global sports merchandise platform Fanatics, and The Wild Collective, a fashion and lifestyle sportswear brand. The three-piece outerwear line consists of unisex jacket styles.

“The Vikings portfolio of fashion options for fans today is one that already delivers broad options, but we wanted to tailor that London street style vibe to Vikings fans and create pieces that can be worn not only on game day but every day,” says Adofo-Mensah.

The line—comprised of a shearling fur leather jacket, a starter-inspired bomber jacket, and a denim work jacket—embodies a different feel compared to gameday gear typically seen on fans. Instead, subtle, “if you know, you know” nods to the iconic Vikings culture like leather embossed logos, vintage-inspired patches, even an embroidered bird’s eye view of the Vikings field (found on the denim jacket)—done in a versatile and neutral color palette.

“We’re always looking for vintage treasures on Etsy or eBay. The nostalgia of high-end ’80s and ’90s, well-made garments have been a major source of inspiration,” says Adofo-Mensah.

Additionally, the art showcased in the Vikings stadium and facilities also served as guiding forces for the mixed-media designs of the jackets. “Art and fashion in the Twin Cities often get overlooked by the rest of the country,” says O’Connell. “There’s a real craving for high fashion here and we tried to identity a different genre of fanwear beyond the traditional sweatshirts, jerseys, and T-shirts by bringing a high-end fashion approach to the market.”

Adofo-Mensah and O’Connell also note the influence of how players’, WAGs’ (wives and girlfriends), and stakeholders’ style continues garnering more attention and eyeballs now more than ever, with fashion becoming a valuable player in professional football. “There’s been a rising interest and awareness of what everyone is wearing—getting off the plane, leaving the games, etc.” says Adofo-Mensah. “Fashion is shifting and being dictated by the cultural zeitgeist of where we are at now and we wanted to bring that to the Twin Cities and blend that with an international feel because that’s direction the NFL is trending.”

The international collection (starting at $200) is on sale now. Limited units will be available online and in-store at the Vikings Locker Room stores at Eagan Viking Lakes, Mall of America, and U.S. Bank Stadium. shop.vikings.com

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