Interview with Lasse Schöne
From Football to fashion
After 20 years as a football player on the Danish national team and with clubs such as Ajax Amsterdam, Genoa, and NEC Nijmegen, Lasse Schöne is 38 years old and ready to retire. However, he isn’t prepared to sit still. It’s time to pursue his passion for fashion.
Interview with Lasse Schöne
From Football to fashion
After 20 years as a football player on the Danish national team and with clubs such as Ajax Amsterdam, Genoa, and NEC Nijmegen, Lasse Schöne is 38 years old and ready to retire. However, he isn’t prepared to sit still. It’s time to pursue his passion for fashion.
Lasse Schöne, born May 27, 1986, is a Danish midfielder known for his impressive career with the Danish national team and in the Dutch Eredivisie, where he notably played for Ajax and is now with NEC Nijmegen. He is currently expecting his third child.
When Lasse Schöne stopped by LABFRESH on a cold winter’s day in Amsterdam, Kasper Brandi and the rest of the team had no doubt that he was the best-dressed athlete to ever enter the store. It also became clear to Kasper that the combination of elite sports and fashion matched the spirit of LABFRESH perfectly. Fourteen months later, Lasse and LABFRESH are ready with their collaborative collection—a collection that has led Lasse Schöne back to the training ground he thought he had left behind.
So Lasse, you’re retiring soon.
“Retiring from FOOTBALL. Very important, haha”
Of course! Lasse, you’re about to retire from football after a long and impressive career primarily in Dutch football. You also played 51 international matches for Denmark. How does it feel to hang up your boots for the last time?
“I’m totally fine with retiring from football. Not because I’m tired of football, though. A Champions League match at a packed Amsterdam Arena is still the ultimate rush. But it’s also a lifestyle where I often had to say no to many things. As you approach forty, you start wanting to say yes to more than just training and a tightly managed everyday life. Modern elite football is truly micro-management at a high level.”
Is it correct that one of the first things you’ve said “yes” to is the collection with LABFRESH?
“Yes, that’s right. It felt natural because I’ve always been interested in fashion. It’s been a passion of mine for a long time, but unfortunately, I haven’t had time to delve into it. So when Kasper reached out, I quickly responded.”
“I actually feel a little sorry for my other T-shirts because I probably won't be reaching for them much anymore."
And why specifically LABFRESH?
“Kasper was simply the first to write to me, hahaha. No, jokes aside, it was first and foremost important to me that LABFRESH’s collections are something I can see myself in. The balance between casual and more styled suits me incredibly well. When you’ve spent as many years in sportswear as I have, you simply don’t want to suddenly start wearing uncomfortable clothes. But you still want to look good! That’s where LABFRESH hits the mark, especially with their more relaxed fits. It was also important that there was a mental connection between us. I think it’s great that LABFRESH focuses on creating durable clothes, so you can wear them longer and wash them less. The older I get, the more I care about leaving a livable planet for my children. As a football player, I’m also used to success being a team effort, and that you practice, practice, and then practice a bit more to achieve perfection. That’s the approach at LABFRESH too.”
Did it take a lot of practice to get involved in the creative process with LABFRESH?
“Oh yes. All of a sudden, I was a rookie again and back on the training ground! But I have already learned so much by getting behind the scenes. I quickly realized that it’s not just about choosing a material and some colors. Creating the right product is surprisingly difficult—but also incredibly rewarding.”
It sounds as if Kasper got you out of your comfort zone a bit?
“Definitely. A couple of times I really felt out of my depth. But I find comfort in the fact that I also got LABFRESH a little bit out of their comfort zone. LABFRESH has its style, and I have mine. So we all brought ideas to the table. The most important thing was that I was heard and taken seriously. If I am putting my name on something, I also want to be part of the project. That’s also why all the items in the collection are clothes I can see myself wearing every day. I actually feel a little sorry for my other T-shirts because I probably won’t be reaching for them much anymore.”
What can you tell us about the collection?
“The clothes in the collection have a slightly loose and boxy fit and are very clean at the same time, so they can work well with almost any outfit. Again, it’s about clothes having to be comfortable for me to want to wear them. It’s also nice if they have a fairly loose fit. As a football player, I have bigger legs than most, so a pair of skinny jeans is ... not quite right. The materials are also of high quality. When you hold the fabric in your hand, you can really feel the weight and its premium quality. Even though they are basic styles, each style is meticulously designed. Clothes don’t need to have a big logo or gigantic text to be a statement piece. For example, the white t-shirt from the collection is a statement piece in itself because of the quality of the fabric and the meticulously designed fit.”
Do you have a favorite?
“That’s a tough one. But I really love the short-sleeved off-white cardigan because it’s so personal. On one sleeve, there are three X’s for Amsterdam, and on the other sleeve, there is a Danish flag.”