Harvey Elliott

Harvey embodies the pinnacle of this generation’s fashion-conscious footballers, who value style almost as much as their love for the game. At just 20 years of age, he has captivated audiences with flourishing performances on the pitch and his expressive dress sense off it, cutting a contemporary figure in this new era.

Harvey represents the unity of football and fashion, showcasing the emergence of luxury culture in sport and players’ newfound creative freedom — and as our conversation progresses, it becomes clear that he has the humility, intuition, and emotional intelligence to do and be better.

Just as Liverpool added to their stock as a seedbed for the development of future stars, Sports World welcomed one of their best to the Stock Exchange Hotel in Manchester for a world-exclusive collaboration. Baroque architecture and statuesque surroundings formed the backdrop as we captured the definition of next-gen footballers — an effortless blend of new and old.

Contrary to popular belief, Harvey grew up in Surrey, plying his trade for QPR and Fulham before earning his dream move to his boyhood club, Liverpool, in 2019. His move to Merseyside was not only a proud moment for his family but announced Harvey as the country’s most exciting prospect, catalysing the next stage in his story.

Yet, the path to success is rarely straightforward, even for those at the peak of their power. Before joining Fulham, Chelsea rejected Harvey for being ‘too small’, a decision that has stalled the careers of many fledgling players over the years. However, there has been a noticeable shift in attitude towards footballers’ physical attributes in recent years — and it’s fair to say that Harvey is as dynamic on the pitch as he is off it.

The understated elegance of oversized, billowing styles on smaller builds like Harvey’s have become the go-to trend for luxury fashion brands — and at 5ft 7in, he is not only one of the most fluid footballers in the Premier League but an alluring profile for brands looking to transcend boundaries with forward-thinking designs.

Sitting down with Harvey in the hotel’s Goldstone Suite — a contemporary space boasting Venetian marble and bespoke furnishings — his love of fashion becomes clear, reinforcing his status as the poster boy uniting fashion and football. “Fashion is my way of expressing myself,” he says.

“It has become a part of my identity. My performance is directly tied to how I feel; if I feel good, I play good.”

Northwestern fashion and lifestyle powerhouse Harvey Nichols, a luxury department store with flagship stores in Liverpool and Manchester, curated outfits from some of Harvey’s favourite brands for the occasion. On the cover, Harvey wears Casablanca’s iconic Casa Club intarsia cotton jacket, a symbolic colour-block pattern inspired by race wear, which has become synonymous with the brand. “I felt good in the Casablanca jacket,” says Harvey. “The vibrant colours and how everything sat, I’d say that was my favourite piece from the shoot.”

Milan-founded fashion label Marni, California streetwear label Amiri and jewellery brand Craftd London, whose ethos is to create pieces that ‘serve as symbols of self-belief and confidence’, formed the rest of our style edit. SW’s long-standing brand partner Golden Concept provided an exclusive collection of eyewear, a first look at what is to come from the Swedish lifestyle brand.

These brands are notable for their blend of artistic culture and streetwear, inspired by the places in which they were born — a sentiment which draws parallels with the player at the focus of this feature.

One thing is clear: Harvey’s reverence for his past will propel his present and future success. Throughout his journey to the top of the professional game, Harvey has leaned on his family for support and guidance. Like any young hopeful, Harvey admits he was completely enamoured with the game during childhood, recounting memories of waking early to go outside and play until his parents called him back inside. “I just fell in love with the game,” he says. “I loved playing then, and I still love playing now. I knew from an early age that I wanted to make a career in professional football.

“Family was, and is, a massive source of motivation for me. I had my dad around me, my uncle, my mum and my siblings, and they all inspired me to be the best I can be. My dad would travel all over the world to watch me in tournaments and travel the length of the country to watch me play. I want to repay the people who have helped me in life and hopefully bring them joy.”

Sporting an iconic hairstyle and mode all of his own, Harvey exudes confidence and assurance, unafraid to forge his own path. After his high-profile move to Liverpool, Harvey was one of the first Premier League footballers to partner with New Balance, which catapulted the brand’s status in the football industry.

Now a dominant force in the sports and lifestyle industry, New Balance’s desire to combine performance with style aligns seamlessly with the astronomic rise of young players like Harvey, with game-changing boot designs and a community-driven ethos. “Partnering with them has been amazing,” admits Harvey. “Just as my team motivates me to perform on the field, New Balance are always coming up with cool designs and colours that make you feel confident when you put them on, and like I said before, when I feel good, I play well.”

Back in 2022, Harvey released his first pair of signature boots in partnership with New Balance, the special edition of Furon c6+ ‘Diamond Cuts Sharper’ — a name derived from Harvey’s nickname, Little Diamond, which he earned after a string of impressive displays in his maiden season for the Reds.

This emergence of conceptual fashion collaborations in football is becoming a fundamental part of the modern game. Take PSG’s recent collection with Esteban Cortazar, a celebration of the fashion designer’s roots and the Latin influence of the club in football culture, or the AC Milan x Off-White collection, a mix of traditional football and sports motifs, reimagining them with brand’s cultural and subcultural influences.

A similar understanding can be surmised from Harvey’s affiliation with New Balance and Liverpool, which taps into the city’s working-class culture and the casual sportswear trends which have become popular on the streets of Liverpool in recent years. It is, therefore, the perfect synergy — Harvey, a naturally stylish yet humble hard worker, and Liverpool, a city renowned for setting trends and a tough, tight-knit community.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, when it comes to Liverpool, Harvey holds the highest regard for the red side of Merseyside. Despite being a London boy, he is a lifelong fan of the club, and at the age of 16 years and 174 days, became the youngest player ever to start a match for Liverpool.

“It was a dream come true,” he says, reflecting on his first start for the club. “It’s an incredible feeling to put the shirt on and have that badge on my chest. Just being around the city and meeting the people, the love they have for the game is incredible.

“It’s a city that lives and breathes football, so being around it with my family is a great buzz and a special feeling.”

Playing for an iconic club like Liverpool can come with immense pressure, especially when coupled with international call-ups. However, instead of letting the pressure and media noise stifle his career, Harvey appears to have used it as motivation to succeed. He has exceeded expectations by winning six major trophies, and his success shows no signs of slowing down.

“I want to keep winning trophies with this team,” he says. “Both individually and collectively we are never content with what we have, we always want more. I have a hunger for greatness. I hope the dedication, desire and motivation to do the small things well, will take me a long way in my career. Call it greedy, but I want to achieve more and experience everything this game has to offer, especially when it comes to trophies with this club.

“We will all do everything we can to try and be successful in every competition. That hunger motivates me to go that little bit harder, to keep pushing myself to the limit. As a team, we have that connection where we all want the same thing and now more than ever, we’re creating history and we must maintain that. We have unbelievable players in the dressing room who lead by example, so I try to learn from them; I watch what they do when I’m off the pitch and I want to apply that in my day-to-day life.”

The future is diamond-bright for Harvey. It is an exciting era for a star who has an innate drive to succeed, whether that’s starring for the world’s most recognisable fashion brands or winning silverware for club and country, Harvey’s stock continues its meteoric rise.

When asked about his plans for the next phase of his career, his answer is simple, and a testament to his character: “I want to be a better person; one that my brother and sister can look up to and draw inspiration from. I want them to go out and achieve things in life and at the end of the day, that’s my job; it’s all down to me.”