World Cup Fashion

Erling Haaland is drawing attention at the World Cup for more than his goals. The Norwegian striker’s Hermès collection, especially his HAC bags, has become part of the conversation around his arrival and his growing public image. Stylist and TikToker Jack Savoie pushed that conversation into overdrive with a viral video that has surpassed 10 million views. In the clip, he walks through Haaland’s bags and points out that many of them are not Birkins at all, but Haut à Courroies, the taller Hermès model that the Birkin was based on. What Makes The Collection Stand Out Among the pieces Savoie highlighted was the special edition “Endless Road” HAC, which Haaland carried as he deplaned in North Carolina before the World Cup. He also pointed to a moss-colored canvas HAC, a black-and-orange checkerboard HAC, and a moment when Haaland was seen with his girlfriend Isabel Haugseng Johansen’s Birkin 25 tucked inside his HAC 50. Bag Notable Detail How It Was Seen Endless Road HAC Bone colored with blue and gray leather patchwork Carried as Haaland deplaned in North Carolina Moss-colored canvas HAC Distinct canvas finish Featured in Savoie’s breakdown Black-and-orange checkerboard HAC Graphic checkerboard design Featured in Savoie’s breakdown Birkin 25 inside HAC 50 Johansen’s bag placed inside Haaland’s larger bag Spotted in public Haaland is not the only football star carrying Hermès. Lionel Messi has a pocket-festooned cargo HAC 40, Virgil van Dijk has a putty gray leather bag, and David Beckham has also been linked to a small collection of XL-sized bags. Luxury Bags Are Turning Up Across The Tournament High-end accessories have been visible beyond Haaland’s own looks. The French men’s national team arrived with HACs, along with bags from Chanel and Louis Vuitton, while Marcus Thuram carried a bright green suede maxi flap bag from a Chanel collaboration with Pharrell Williams. Rayan Cherki also arrived with an oversized Hermès Kelly Maxi, adding to the sense that luxury handbags are now part of the visual language around some of the tournament’s biggest names. CNN noted that Haaland’s photos and appearances have sparked a wider discussion about men carrying handbags and the way those choices are read online. Some of the reaction has been openly hostile, with social media comments questioning his masculinity. Others have been supportive, including one comment that asked, “So this is how I find out Haaland is a baddie???” Why The Bags Fit Haaland’s Image Savoie argued that the backlash misses the point of the HAC itself. The bag was originally created in the late 19th century as a carryall for horse riding equipment, and Hermès did not market a handbag specifically to women until much later. That history makes the current gendered reaction especially ironic. Savoie said there is now “an increasing appreciation for beautiful things, gender aside,” and added, “I don’t even know why these bags have genders.” For Haaland, the conversation does not appear to be a distraction. He scored two goals in each of his first two appearances at this year’s World Cup, becoming only the sixth player ever to do so, and his mix of physical dominance and luxury taste has only deepened his public profile. Read more at: www.cnn.com

Erling Haaland’s Hermès Bags Are Stealing Attention at the World Cup