Ian Wright

Ian Wright is a national treasure. The former striker is beloved not just by football fanatics (and especially those who worship at the N5 altar) but also, because of his numerous television and radio appearances, by the wider public in general. His footballing career was exemplary: he helped Crystal Palace win promotion to the top flight (and scored an impressive 90 goals in the process) before signing for Arsenal at the beginning of the 1991/2 season. He went on to become one of their greatest players ever, netting 185 times in 288 appearances for the Gunners, winning two FA Cups, a League Cup, a European Cup-Winners’ Cup and, of course, a Premier League title.

From Football Icon to Fashion Icon

Since retiring from football in 2000, Wright has been a fixture of the BBC – as a pundit on Match of the Day, and as a presenter on Radio 5. He’s also become famed for his sense of style: an effortless suave smart-casual, punctuated with the odd statement headpiece. He’s even walked the runway at London Fashion Week for Labrum. Here the Arsenal legend chats through his fashion sense, plus his latest collaboration with Marks & Spencer.

For the collection, Wright has designed a capsule of nine hats, available across multiple colourways and incorporating finishes and fabrications favoured by the striker – including herringbone, wool and denim.

Q&A: Ian Wright on Style, M&S and Fashion

What made you want to collaborate with M&S in particular? “It’s a brand and company that I work with closely. It’s high quality, it’s accessible, it’s British – and I always trust the quality. There’s constant work going on in the background to make their men’s range relevant, and I’ve been part of that journey for a while now. So, making hats the next phase of the collaboration is perfect – hats are something I’m synonymous with, and something that I love.”

Hats are tough to get right for men – what’s your secret to getting the right hat for the right occasion? “Start with the outfit – don’t start with the hat. Finding the right size hat is super important, once you have the right size and shape then you can branch out and try other styles.”

Have you got more interested in how you look and what you wear since your playing days? “I wouldn’t say I’m more interested, but I’m definitely much clearer on my style now. But even before playing professionally, how we dressed and presented ourselves in our community was important. I also think it’s easier nowadays to access more designers from around the world. There are lots of brands that I’ve come across online, or seen them tagged by someone I follow. It’s a great way of finding new styles.”

Who are the most stylish current or ex-footballers? “David Beckham is consistently good. [Zinedine] Zidane can also pull off any look – he’s always perfectly tailored. David Alaba has a great range of styles, and his casual fits have always got those extra details. Hector Bellerin is another one – the details of the cuts and the accessories always look good.”

Life After Match of the Day

Do you miss Match Of The Day? “I miss the friends and the people that I worked with. I was very close to a lot of people there. I don’t miss travelling! I still watch the show though, and I’m lucky I still get to work with [Alan] Shearer regularly on the Premier League’s global feed.”

How hard is it to balance your proud support of Arsenal while being a fair pundit? “I still get that nervous feeling. I want them to do well, the men and the women. I know what the pressure of playing for a club like Arsenal is like – it was a shock even for me when I came from Crystal Palace. All of a sudden you have to win every game, or else there is so much noise around the players and the club, and intense introspection. But my punditry is fair – I see the positives in the game and the positives in players’ performances. There are times to be critical as well. We’ve been lucky as Arsenal fans that in recent years the club has been doing well. Yes, there have been some bad individual and team performances in specific games but on the whole, for the men’s team, the culture and performance change they’ve been through recently has been successful.”

Which football pundits do you most admire and respect? “Ally McCoist – his warmth and love of the game comes through in every broadcast he’s on. Jamie Carragher – when you spend time with Jamie, you find out his knowledge of the game is outstanding. We were on a plane together, all of us watching various shows, and Carra was at the back reading a book on the history of football formations. Emma Hayes is another one, her range of knowledge and ability to see it and call it in real time is brilliant.”

The Roy Keane Connection

You seem to have developed a proper bromance with Roy Keane – what is your friendship with him like? “Roy and I have worked together for many years. It’s probably because I’ve not been on Sky that people haven’t seen our relationship. We share a lot with each other, personal and professional. He’s someone I hated when we played because of how good and successful he was. He loves the game – most weeks we will get together and just watch a game, doesn’t matter what level of football, if it’s on, we’re watching with a nice cup of tea.”

Arsenal’s Present and Future

What do you make of this era at Arsenal? Is Arteta still The Man even if it takes more time to win trophies? “Of course he is. The change has been dramatic. In terms of both the performances and the culture of the men’s team. The fans and the club are closer together than ever. We have raised our standards and got closer to winning the league, and we’re in back-to-back Champions League. It feels like a real 180 from where we were not long ago. Mikel and the leadership should rightfully get a lot of credit for that.”

“On the women’s side, it’s been a bit more disappointing, despite winning the League Cup twice and Arsenal really leading the way in terms of how our fans support the Women’s team. In purely football terms it feels like we are further behind Chelsea than we’d like to be.”

Quick-Fire Questions

Which current players do you most admire? “Jude Bellingham. He’s taken everything in his stride. Playing at the biggest club in the world, scoring on the biggest stages for club and country. Coming third in the Ballon d’Or. One of the main global faces of adidas football. All of this at just 21. He’s incredible. I’m so proud of him. That level of ambition, courage, and bravery is beautiful to see in a young person.”

Is there anyone left in football (or life) you’d still like to meet? “I’d love to meet Robert DeNiro.”

What’s your single greatest moment as a footballer? “I’ve got quite a few. FA Cup final goals with Crystal Palace. First game for Arsenal with my best friend David Rocastle. Winning the Premier League. First cap for England. I’m proud of all of them.”

Shop Ian Wright’s collection at M&S here