If you're a serious football shirt collector you will have no doubt admired the astonishing collection listed on social media by Calcio90 for some time now. If you're very serious, you've probably met or traded with its owner, Jenner, by now too. If you're neither then allow us to properly introduce him. Jenner, is one of the nicest guys in the football shirt space and someone who cares deeply about football shirts.
We interviewed him previously to talk in-depth about his vast collection. More recently, we caught up with him in Amsterdam to talk football shirts, and browse his appointment-only store (more on which later this week). One of the subjects that cropped up was the small matter of Calcio90 now being official suppliers on the Showboat marketplace.
For us, this is a dream on multiple levels. Firstly Calcio90, with its vast array of jaw-dropping 90s Serie A shirts, has been our dream supplier since we embarked on this long project. Secondly, we are now officially international having only previously had suppliers based in the U.K., we are now onboarding European suppliers to give the marketplace greater depth and variety. Thirdly, Jenner has become a friend and someone we're very proud to be working with and playing our part in allowing his shirts to reach even more people.
So, here's a very brief snippet of Jenner's history of selling shirts and how we've come to work together.
My gran once told me once that to truly appreciate something you’ve got to let it go. And honestly I just need to let some stuff go. I’ve moved so many times over the last few years that I’m a bit broken from figuring out how to store it all. But after putting in all this effort to build the collection it feels a bit like I’m selling my organs. I’m a great collector not a great seller.
That being said, setting up Calcio90 Studios been a brilliant way to meet new people in a new city. We’re all the same aren’t we - obsessively collecting threads from our childhood - I always call it a functional addiction, so come and say hi if you’re in Amsterdam and we can continue to feed it together. Haha.
To say Calcio90 feels curated is probably a huge understatement. Where does that come from?
It comes from my obsessive brain. It’s a fucking nightmare sometimes. The relentless hunt for order and familiarity. Sometimes it feels like trying to recreate the sea in a paddling pool.
But I have a very clear vision of the kinds of things I love. Of course the shirts are a huge focus, but there are loads of other incredible objects rich with history - the menu that the Juve team had the night before the Heysel disaster, a piece of the pitch from the Italia 90 World Cup Final, the front page of the newspaper the day after the 1949 Superga Air Disaster, 750 t-shirts from from every major football event from 1980-2000 - stuff that when you put together makes you feel the joy and suffering of football - because from my experience football is mostly suffering with rare peaks of extreme joy.
How does your personal taste align with what sells?
I’m just selling my personal collection. If I didn’t like it I wouldn’t have bought it in the first place.
That's a good answer to a silly question. How do you go about building a reliable supply network?
Bleugh. When I have a supply chain the joy will be gone.
We previously discussed your personal collection here. But, is there still a grail you're chasing?
Yup. Gabriele from Memoramilan has the pennant from Arsenal vs Milan 1995 Super Cup Final. It is a work of art. Embossed Arsenal crest and match details on a crimson background. The two teams I grew up supporting, one of the first matches I remember. Sometimes an object is just made for you, but he’s making me work for it. Haha
Finally, why have you partnered with us at Showboat?
I just loved chatting to you both. It feels nice to be part of something that is so obviously built with a deep love and understanding of what it means to be a collector.
You can shop Calcio 90's stock in-app or on our website here.
