In keeping with RWD’s alternative road to the World Cup, we bring you news today of England captain, Rio Ferdinand, linking up with ‘Strutt Men’, part of the LXY Brand group, with plans in place to create a new designer range for men.

The new brand will be called ‘FIVE – By Rio Ferdinand’ and will include fashionable attire, along with footwear and stylish accessories, perfect for the more metrosexually inclined RWD readers out there. The FIVE range will consist of shoes and boots, in a variety of different styles, from classical designs to others far more casual. All items come with a signature that will define the brand. Man-bags and other accessories such as wash bags and wallets complete the line up to ensure a total retail offering is achieved.

The designer of these cool new products, Ian O’Connor, told us how ‘thrilled’ he was to have Rio on board for what he describes as an ‘exciting project’, he continued, “Not only is Rio a great ambassador for the game of football, he is also a fashion icon in his own right with a clean cut style that people wish to buy into.” And he doesn’t seem to be the only one who thinks he’s got a good deal, Mr Ferdinand shared the sentiments, “I’m always looking for opportunities to expand my interests outside of football and fashion is a passion of mine.” Before stating that he was in it for the long run, musing, “I’m delighted to be involved and I’m looking forward to building the brand for the long term.”

Rio hasn’t just been endorsing the brand with his name either. Apparently the tough-tackling defender has been actively involved in the product development. O’Connor said, “I’m really impressed by Rio’s enthusiasm and his involvement in the design process, and he certainly has taken a hands-on approach to the collection rather than just putting his name to it. Rio’s appeal is far wider than football and his celebrity on the world stage will ensure the development and longevity of the brand.” So as the ageing number five enjoys his last few seasons as a top-class, world-beating, footballer, maybe projects like this represent his prospective future beyond playing ‘the beautiful game’. Maybe he’ll try his hand at creating ‘the beautiful garms’, or something like that.

lxybrands.com

Tags: England, Fashion, Five, Football, Manchester United, Rio Ferdinand, Strutt, World Cup 2010