Kits & Couture: The Aesthetic War Brewing in the Champions League
With eight teams remaining in the Champions League, it’s not just a fight for the trophy; it’s also a competition for the best aesthetic. One trophy, but eight unique styles. Each of these teams brings something different to the pitch. Will monochrome win or does the dark academia have the tournament on lock down? From flowing fabrics to bold color blocks, the quarter-finals are doubling as a Pinterest trend board.
Dark Academia: FC Barcelona & Aston Villa FC
With a win for either FC Barcelona or Aston Villa FC, the winning Pinterest boards of the season will have a dark academia vibe. Both teams are channeling moody libraries and rainy-day elegance. With Barcelona's iconic deep navy blue and garnet vertical stripes and Aston Villa’s bold claret and blue color scheme, featuring a claret body with blue sleeves, these two home kits embody the dark academia aesthetic. Think structured blazers, deep tones, brooding intensity, and quiet luxury. Poetry in motion—literally.
Deep, dark, and academic | Source: @fcbarcelona and @avcoffical on instagram.com
Monochrome: Real Madrid & FC Bayern München
Sleek and serious, describe the monochrome wave that Real Madrid and Bayern München send over the crowds. With a win from these two, expect clean lines, no fuss, and all-color dominance in every it-girls Instagram feed. Real Madrid’s classic all-white or navy ensemble and the red on red or white on white from Bayern München design make monograms modern. Their fashion says, “We’ve been here before—and we’ll win again.”
Only high-fives for monochrome | Source: @realmadrid and @fcbayern on instagram.com
Nautical: Inter Milan & Paris Saint-Germain
Inter Milan and PSG are bringing sailor core to center stage—stripes, structure, and classic navy elegance—tailored to precision like their playbooks. The Italian Inter Milan brings us traditional black and blue vertical stripes, and similarly, the Parisians of PSG send deep blue shirts featuring a central red and white vertical stripe. Will these ships sink, or will these teams navigate themselves to the trophy and our closets?
Personally, I’m team nautical | Source: @inter and @fcbayern on instagram.com
Eclectic: Arsenal FC & Borussia Dortmund
Arsenal and Borussia Dortmund are mixing patterns and turning heads. Unexpected combos, bold color clashes, and chaos that just… works. The traditional bright red shirt with white sleeves from Arsenal and the vibrant yellow shirt with black details by Borussia Dortmund could be kicking energy shockwaves to this season's runway and our vsco home pages. All in all, their fashion is unpredictable on and off the pitch.
Entering: Eclectic | Source: @arsenal and @bvb09 on instagram.com
So… will nautical nobility rule? Will monochrome precision prevail? Or will the eclectic rebels steal the crown? The trophy’s still up for grabs, but the style game is already iconic. With tactical playbooks to mood board-worthy fits, the pitch is looking like a Pinterest runway this spring.