George Aslanidis: “My favorite job is the one I did last summer for Manchester United’s new home kit”
George Aslanidis
Creative director, photographer and filmmaker
Dimitris Rapidis
Grants Officer & Political Researcher - ETERON
George Aslanidis is a creative director, photographer and filmmaker, having collaborated with Manchester United, Umbro, NSS Sports and Admiral among others. He is participating in ETERON’s FootballON: More Than Goals project, talking about the connection between fashion, photography and football.
Football, fashion, photography, kits. How are these four elements connected, especially through your own journey?
I have been playing football since I was 6 years old. At 11 I started following my team, Manchester United, and bought my first kit. When I was 18, I started photography and after a while I also entered the field of fashion photography professionally.
It was inevitable that at some point I would bring my love for football and football kits to my art of photography and in this way all my interests would be merged together!
Aesthetics and inclusivity in football. Do these two things go together?
Of course! If there is will and passion, you can bring your aesthetics to everything you do.
Many teams invest in retro kits and reissues. Nostalgia, connecting the past with the present, restoring fan memory and emotions, something else? What do you think about this trend?
I am in for a good reissue of a football kit, especially – and I emphasize “especially” – if it has been done in the right way and symbolizes something nice, yes! If it is simply done for the sake of being done, without the special attention that even a reissue deserves, then I am not the biggest fan.
What do you like and what moves you most in photography? And how does this extend to football?
I like two things in particular about photography: First, it’s the recording of a unique moment that just happened right there in front of you and you captured it perfectly. Something like documentary photography.
Second, the creation of a project from scratch, the concept, the location, the clothes, the models, the makeup, the light, everything! And within this part you are called upon to create a climate to record authentic moments, like in the first scenario I mentioned above.
I think football as a sport falls more into what happens in the first scenario, in documentary photography. It has emotions that are not prescribed, stories are created on the spot and the feeling, especially if you experience it in the stadium, either as a fan or as a player, cannot be replaced by anything else.
What is your most exciting job so far? The one you enjoyed the most and why?
It may be obvious, but my favorite job is the one I did last summer for Manchester United’s new home kit. I love the creative direction we set, the whole concept, the styling, my team and of course the Greek touch I put in the video, using music by Manos Hadjidakis.
What do you feel when you are in the stands and watch your team play?
I have been lucky enough to have been to many matches that created strong emotions for me. From Manchester United 4-1 against West Ham in 2008 with two goals scored by the then young Ronaldo, his return in 2021 to the match again against West Ham, the 1-2 victory at the Olympic Stadium and De Gea’s penalty save in the 90+ minute.
My biggest emotions include Manchester United’s 4-3 win against Liverpool in the FA Cup in 2024 and the victory of the Greek National Team at Wembley in October 2024 against England with 1-2. In these two special matches, emotions sparked immensely. Intensity, adrenaline, shouts! Incredible energy with all those people around you, maybe even people you have never seen before, or will never see again in your life! This is something that from what I have experienced only football can create and that is why we love it.
