Lionel Messi to launch clothing line

Lionel Messi is following in the footsteps of previous soccer stars, like David Beckham, and getting into the clothing business. The Argentine soccer star is working with MGO, a brand portfolio company spearheaded by creative director Ginny Hilfiger, sister of fashion mogul Tommy Hilfiger, to create an apparel line. The news was reported by WWD.

The brand will be a sportsy lifestyle brand that will include mostly menswear, with a few women's tops included as well. The line will launch this upcoming July on an e-commerce website called The Messi Store, with the full rollout scheduled for August. Pieces will be released in limited quantities on a weekly basis to hype up demand for the product.

The new brand will also cater to luxury consumers with a capsule collection with Savile Row tailor Richard James, and another with English shoe brand Tricker's that will be offered at high-end Barcelona boutique Santa Eulalia. The Messi x Richard James collaboration will also be offered in a shop in London Persona, a store created by MGO partner Julian Groves.

MGO found it only logical to launch a collection with arguably the greatest soccer player in the world. “Leo is the greatest football player in the world and still has a lot of years left to play,” Hilfiger said to WWD. “Also he is recognized globally by all types of people even people who don’t watch football.”

With over 120 million Instagram followers and one of the largest global audiences in the world, anything Messi sells is poised for success. The international superstar has amassed a net worth of 400 million dollars, and that was certainly no accident.

photo: Messi.com