C.P. Company’s partnership with Manchester City doesn’t feel like a typical football–fashion collaboration. Announced at the start of the 2024/25 season and continuing into 2025/26, the Italian brand became the club’s Official Style Fashion wear Partner for the men’s first team - a role rooted in culture rather than pure marketing.
At a time when football merchandise saturation has made fans increasingly selective, authenticity matters more than ever. Supporters understand their club’s history better than anyone, and they’re quick to spot when a product lacks purpose. C.P. Company is one of the few brands able to navigate this space naturally, thanks to its deep roots in football’s casual culture.
The Bologna Origins That Shaped a Football Brand
Long before football fashion partnerships became global marketing exercises, C.P. Company was shaped by a specific place and a specific vision. Founded in Bologna in 1971 by Massimo Osti, the brand emerged from a city where industry, politics, music, and sport naturally overlapped.
Bologna in the 1970s was a laboratory of ideas. It was here that Osti began experimenting with military fabrics, garment dyeing, and functional design principles that would later influence terrace culture across Europe. His focus on utility and longevity resonated with supporters who viewed clothing as an extension of identity rather than trend.
From Terrace Culture to Manchester City
Since the 1980s, C.P. Company’s functional outerwear has been worn by travelling fans across the North West, eventually becoming part of Manchester’s wider cultural fabric - from terrace culture to music and subcultural movements. That legacy makes the brand’s alignment with Manchester City feel natural rather than forced.
The partnership sees City’s players, coaching staff, and senior management wearing C.P. Company while travelling to UEFA Champions League and Premier League fixtures. The collections lean on the brand’s most recognisable silhouettes, including the Goggle Jacket, Nycra-R down jacket, Twill field jackets, alongside knitwear and accessories, finished with Manchester City’s crest and C.P. Company’s signature lenses.
The Bologna Debate: Where Does the Collaboration Feel Strongest?
Naturally, the collaboration has sparked debate among fans. Some argue that C.P. Company feels even more at home with Bologna than Manchester City, pointing to the brand’s origins and Massimo Osti’s deep ties to the city.
That sentiment gained weight in late 2024 when C.P. Company was announced as the official fashion partner of Bologna FC 1909, unveiled during the club’s UEFA Champions League fixture against Borussia Dortmund. With Bologna returning to the competition for the first time in 60 years, the partnership felt less like a campaign and more like a homecoming.
Authenticity Over Hype
Rather than weakening the Manchester City partnership, this debate reinforces C.P. Company’s credibility. A brand so deeply embedded in football culture can resonate across clubs without losing its identity. Campaign storytelling reflects this restraint, focusing on figures closely connected to the club and city rather than relying solely on global star power.
A Partnership Built for Longevity
In an era of short-term drops and manufactured collaborations, C.P. Company x Manchester City stands out for its longevity and intent. It’s a partnership built on shared values, cultural alignment, and history - proof that when football and fashion meet with purpose, the result feels effortless rather than forced.
