Story behind Matilda Alanna Kennedy’s first step to making her fashion dream a reality

Alanna Kennedy is a footballer in demand, but despite having many years ahead of her as an elite athlete, she is already setting herself up for success off the pitch.

Alanna Kennedy, the footballer and fashion designer. Picture: Supplied

On the football field Alanna Kennedy is a commanding presence who will stop at nothing to keep the ball away from her goal but when the boots are kicked off she is a 30-year-old with a dream of being a fashion designer.

She took her first step towards making that dream a reality last year launching her business Kennedy Wardrobe.

Her first and so far only piece in her label is a custom retro jersey that captures Kennedy’s Olympic journey from Rio de Janeiro to Tokyo and then Paris last year.

It sold out.

“Being a footballer is amazing,” Kennedy said.

“I love being a footballer, it is a huge part of me but there’s so many other things that I enjoy away from football, especially in the creative space.”

From photography to drawing – Kennedy dapples in it all.

“I’m not amazing at it,” she said.

“For me to be able to have something where you can pour a little bit more of your time and energy and get a little bit more fulfilment is nice, to have a break from the pressures of such an intense environment that we can be in sometimes with football.”

To Kennedy it is about more than just putting her name on a clothing brand. She wants to be involved in every step of the process from the design to the manufacturing.

Fashion has always been something Kennedy has had a keen interest in but the need to find something outside of football motivated her to tap into the passion.

Kennedy has big plans to design her own fashion label. Picture: Alanna Kennedy Instagram

She says her fashion style is more basics than big bold colours. Picture: Instagram

“I enjoy cool outfits and can appreciate good fashion and people’s styles,” Kennedy said.

“I wanted to do something away from football that gave me this different outlet.”

Kennedy started with the jersey because it was familiar but the plan moving forward is her own street fashion clothing line.

“The jersey is great because it connects to my footballing roots but I want to eventually do some stuff way from football,” she said.

“I don’t really wear big, bold things, it’s kind of just basics but with a certain kind of vibe – that’s what I want it to be.”

At this stage the ideas are just swirling around in her head – she has a solid concept of what it will look like and the artists she plans to draw inspiration from.

“I’ll need the help of someone who can put it all on paper, but ultimately it will be my ideas put into someone else’s hands.”

Kennedy would love to make it happen tomorrow but her insane football schedule with national team duties and settling in at new Los Angeles based club Angel City.

Kennedy would love to move her business into street fashion but there is also the constant juggle with football and national duties. Picture: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

Life in Los Angeles

From the outside it seemed like a strange decision – leaving one of the biggest sporting clubs in the best women’s league in the world to play for the team that finished 12th in the NWSL.

But to Kennedy it was a fairly simple decision.

“I was in and out of playing at (Manchester) City, I felt like I was at a bit of a standstill,” Kennedy said.

‘I love being at City and I couldn’t see myself at another club in that league so this was a fresh start for me, obviously not a fresh league for me, but it’s very different from what it was when I played there five years ago.”

Kennedy plays for Angel City FC in LA. Picture: Harry How/NWSL via Getty Images

Lifting up her life and moving across the country isn’t a foreign concept to Kennedy – she has been doing it for most of her professional football career. First moving from Australia to the USA and back – between the A-Leagues’ competition and NWSL seasons.

Then from Australia to the UK to play at Tottenham and then City.

It has been three months weeks since Kennedy joined Angel City.

Kennedy playing Sydney FC in what was then known as the W-League, February 2020. Picture: Graham Denholm/Getty Images

“My first few weeks was very, very busy, the first week you get there it’s you’ve got to set up your bank account, medicals then (the team) went away, we had a trip to Coachella, trip to Santa Barbara and then the SheBelieves Cup so I wasn’t actually settled in to my apartment for a long time,” Kennedy said.

“But the last couple of weeks it was nice to just find my bearings in the city, settle in, relax and start to feel a bit more comfortable in the city.

“When I’m settled and happy off the field it allows me to play better on the pitch so hopefully that continues to be an upward trajectory.”

On top of juggling all the off-field logistics of moving Kennedy has had to readjust her game to suit the different style played by American clubs – and to her role as a defensive midfielder for Angel City.

The NWSL is very transitional – fast – end to end. While English clubs, particularly Manchester City play a more patient possession style of football.

When it comes to the level of professionalism though Kennedy said there really wasn’t that much difference between the two leagues.

“The difference I would say being at Angel City is the commercial side of things and the stuff they do for the community, it’s a totally different set up,” Kennedy said.

“But what you get as a footballer in terms of medical staff, nutrition, coaching staff, is all pretty similar.”

Originally published as Story behind Matilda Alanna Kennedy’s first step to making her fashion dream a reality