the Next door

nss sports has always committed to offer and promote original and fresh ideas, that certainly need as much original and fresh minds to be appreciated. Just like the Next door crew's ones, a French store in Marseille that distinguish itself for the quickness in catching the last trends and the ability to blend fashion and style.

Following their interest in the last drop of Les Vêtements de Football, we decided to have a chat with them, to understand if the trends that influenced our country in the last months hit France as well. Here are their answers to our questions.

Hi, would you like to tell us something about the Next door? His birth, development and ultimate goals? 

the Next door was created in September 2006. But the initial project came from the first Shop that Nicolas opened 17 years ago, Circle Skate shop. It was one of the first shops in the south of France to promote the skating state of mind. After several years he decided to open the Next door (it was a grocery store called London Bridge), a shop in which one you can find easily exclusive product and new coming brand. It blends the style of a young man who wants an original pair of sneakers and the Father who wants a nice pair of Levi's vintage jeans with a pair of Grenson derby. Then came the project of Acte.2, three years ago. All the brand such as ACNE, AMI, Sacai, Marni, Comme des garçons fits pretty well the history of the place. It was the first theater in Avignon back in 1600. Molière first came in the city for a representation in this place. Thanks to our hard work we can be visible online with our own website. All the products that you can find online, you can find them in our stores. We ship our products worldwide in order to satisfy all the fashion lovers. Our goal in the incoming years is to finalize the projects we have with several brands but we can't say more, let's keep some secret! 

Thanks to our hard work we can be visible online with our own website. All the products that you can find online, you can find them in our stores. We ship our products worldwide in order to satisfy all the fashion lovers. Our goal in the incoming years is to finalize the projects we have with several brands but we can't say more, let's keep some secret! 

Football is living a second youth in Italy, with a rediscovered passion for the beautiful game and its aesthetic. Is it happening in France as well? 

I’d say that football has always been an important topic in France, in terms of sports as well as in terms of society. More and more people are getting into football. It might partly be because of the new generation of players, and the better behavior of the team and the FFF as a whole. Furthermore, the Ligue 1 is becoming more and more attractive, with PSG and clubs such as Olympique de Marseille and Monaco, who are getting bigger and more ambitious on the European scene. We have top players in the League, which makes it “sexier”! 

Collections like Les Vetements de Football aims to enlighten the beautiful aesthetic of the nineties and early 2Ks. What’s your conception of beauty in football? 

We do share this sense of aesthetic that lies in the old football jerseys. In the end, the fact that sportswear and fashion have started to combine is not that surprising. Some of nss sports’ Jerseys are really “old school” and remind us, and all our clients, of the golden times of their favorite teams while giving them a fashion touch. But the pure beauty of football remains the game, the emotion and the values it broadcast so widely in the world. In France, 2 million people gathered on the Champs Elysées in 1998 when we won the World Cup. 2 million people. This is a pure beauty! 

Day after day, we are seeing a growing relationship between football and fashion. Where do you think this relationship is going?  

As mentioned earlier, it is not so surprising. Streetwear and luxury have also been growing a relationship with him past few years. Many fashion enthusiasts are also big fans of sports. Such brands as Nike, adidas or Puma have been following and, in a sense, educating this community for many decades now. They are the ones who drive the hype, and in fashion as well as in football, there’s always a kind of nostalgia from the past. Also, social networks today push this relationship to the maximum, with the help from bloggers across the world who helped to build this state of mind. As fashion is cyclical, what was on top of fashion in 2017 won’t be at the same state in 2018 or in 2019. We’ve been observing this effect in our shops since the beginning. Customers are on the lookout for the latest trends, thanks to bloggers and influencers. 

Being a brand retailer in France, you surely see every kind of garments and merchandise. What brand do you feel is the most original and innovative? And which one gets you hyped the most? 

For us, the most innovative and original brands are Marni, Sacai and Junya Watanabe. Marni, Italian brand blends the Italian know-how and the nobility of the materials to create original cuts and forms that fit very well in fashion for several years. Sacai and Junya Watanabe, both Japenese brand have been featured in the fashion landscape for years, their reputation is not necessary to be told. Both succeed in the innovation of materials by using their own culture which is known worldwide to be one to follow. 

France is a country with a strong street culture, that influences lifestyle and fashion. Do you feel like it influences football as well? How? 

Again, through the players who are hyper-connected on the social networks, and who influence, in a sense, the young generations, the link between street culture and fashion is growing stronger. The players are close to influencers, rappers, and thus strengthen this link. Now, with all the “stories”, Snapchat things etc., the interaction between your idols and you can be direct, it changes everything in the way people act, consumes, and dress! Football is a great vector for street culture. Football in itself is a culture, and I’d say that football influences street culture as well. 

Pogba, Griezmann, Mbappe, and many others. Are these French footballers prototype of new players, the ones that will inspire the generations to come? 

First of all, let’s stop a second and enjoy the golden generation we have right now in the French selection! The whole country is so pumped for next year’s World Cup! Now that we’re qualified, we’re really looking forward to it, and we all hope that, 20 years after, we’ll do it again! It would be incredible. Pogba, Griezmann, Mbappe, Coman, Martial… Defenders, be prepared! All the players have their personalities, and they all interact with their fans in their own way, a modern way. Obviously, they inspire the generations to come, let’s just hope that they influence them the right way.

For years now, players have been taking more care of their communication, and it’s a great thing. As my coach always said when I was a kid, “Football is the school of life”. If you behave well on the pitch, you behave well at school and at home. Griezmann recently published a series of comics for kids, whom he’s the main character, explaining “I would have loved to read comics about my idols as a kid: like Zidane and Ronaldo.” Even if some will say it’s business, it still is a good influence for kids. Vive le football!