BELL OF THE BALL: As it continues to deepen its ties with the world of sports, Louis Vuitton said Friday it has signed British soccer player Jude Bellingham as a brand ambassador.
“His authenticity, ambition and dedication both on and off the pitch embody the spirit of Louis Vuitton’s community: individuals who are champions in their fields and beyond,” the brand said in a statement.
Bellingham joins the French luxury brand’s roster after an impressive first season at Real Madrid that saw the Spanish club win three trophies, including the Champions League. Named La Liga player of the season, he has emerged as a leading candidate for this year’s Ballon d’Or trophy.
As the new season kicks off, all eyes are once again on the midfielder as he teams up with new recruit Kylian Mbappé.
At 21, Bellingham already has an impressive trajectory, having started at Birmingham City Football Club and played for Borussia Dortmund before signing with Real Madrid last year for a fee of 103 million euros, excluding add-ons.
While he’s considered one of the most promising talents in international football, Bellingham and his England teammates narrowly lost the UEFA Euro 2024 championship final to Spain in a 2-to-1 defeat.
Bellingham did have moments of glory on the pitch, however, memorably scoring a last-minute equalizer for the national team against Slovakia and responding to critics by shouting, “Who else?”
Jude Bellingham in Louis Vuitton.
Gabriel Moses/Courtesy of Louis Vuitton
To mark his new role with Vuitton, photographer Gabriel Moses immortalized the player in his signature open arms score celebration pose, one of a series of images styled by Matthew Henson.
The soccer star is no stranger to the brand. To pick up his Kopa Trophy for the world’s best player aged under 21 at last year’s Ballon d’Or ceremony in Paris, Bellingham wore a Vuitton double-breasted blazer with pearl buttons and flared pants.
He was among the celebrity guests who attended the debut show of Vuitton’s creative director of menswear Pharrell Williams in June 2023.
“I’m excited to welcome Jude to the house, his charismatic personality and what he has already achieved on his inspiring journey will add so much to our LVers community,” Williams said.
Bellingham, who was voted by GQ readers as the most stylish player of the Euro 2024 tournament, appeared in a campaign for Skims men’s underwear in June, and recently unveiled his first signature collection with Adidas Originals.
He is the latest Vuitton men’s ambassador from the world of sport, joining the likes of tennis player Carlos Alcaraz, basketball player Victor Wembanyama, swimmer Léon Marchand and rugby player Antoine Dupont, all of whom won medals at the Summer Olympic Games, where parent company LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton was a primary sponsor.
Vuitton has also produced ad campaigns featuring iconic duos, such as soccer stars Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, or tennis legends Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer.
Jude Bellingham in Louis Vuitton.
Gabriel Moses/Courtesy of Louis Vuitton