King of the Bootleg shirts Josh Steeples, (AKA: A STORE LIKE 94) combines once more with Cult Kits for their second collection.

A Store Like 94 – if you haven't heard of this account, then please, please stop reading this and look this account up on Instagram, Google... whatever! Just follow, you will not be disappointed we promise. 

Cult Kits have been friends with Josh, the brains behind the bootleg football fashion account and have once again linked up for a second collection. This time focussing on two of our favourite players. We caught up with him ahead of the release to find out a little more about the choice of the players for the collection, as well as finding out a bit more about his own private collection of bootleg gold!

CK: It's been a while since our last release with you, Josh – what have you been up to?

JP: Hi guys, nice to be back answering questions for you. Well, like everyone it's been a very weird year or so being stuck in the third UK lockdown. Ive tried to stay as productive as possible at bootleg HQ but as I work in my home studio it hasn't been easy. Motivation and drive to do every project has probably been the hardest thing but I have tried not to beat myself up too much for watching the entire series of the Sopranos and I hope lots of people reading this did the same. Aside from Tony and his crew I've been working hard on lots of new ideas and a few exciting collabs with other football creatives and brands. 

CK: This is our second full collaboration with you... what have you enjoyed most about it?

JP: It's just been nice to communicate and brainstorm our ideas more openly as well as getting to know the Cult team more and forming a good working relationship. It's definitely a step up from just chatting on social media where our joint bootleg dreams first started. It's also been great to see that we can now get a collaborative project up and running and into production fairly quickly. 

CK: Riquelme and Okocha... why were these players chosen?

JP: I mean come on, you don't get more cult than these two players so we had to. ‘SimilarIsh’ footballers, both never quite reached the dizzy heights that I think they could have but at the same time just really enjoyed playing the game at their speed as well as being absolute legends back in their home nations. That's why they must be celebrated in montage form!

CK: You're widely known as King of the Bootlegs – what's the reaction been to your work over the last 6 months? You must be attracting a fair bit of attention?

JP: King of the Bootlegs, that's a great title, not sure I fully deserve it yet but maybe one day when we have a few more bootleg collabs under our belt haha. 

It's been really nice over the last couple of years to see the growing popularity of unofficial football merchandise. Its art in its own right and with everything that's going on and been highlighted over the last few days in football with the greed of the new Super League idea I think it's even more important than ever that fans are getting in on the act and making football fashion, art and merchandise that's special, not mass produced and supports football artist's around the world. 

Attention wise, well apart from receiving a cease and desist letter from Del Piero's legal team it's been nice to see the hard work I've put in over the last four years finally pay off and that's led on to being contacted by a few great creators on social media for some exciting projects. I can't really say much more than that but keep an eye on my instagram and i'm sure you won't miss me singing and dancing about it over the next month or so.

CK: What do you continue to learn about the process, even after having done so many projects?

JP: Just have fun and believe in your ideas, be original even if you are taking inspiration from something else. Try and use your socials to meet like minded people and support other artists around you. This is very important, it's not a competition and there is plenty of space for everyone to grow in our crazy little online football world. 

CK: What's next on the agenda for you? What events can we find you at over the Euros?

JP: Well the delayed Euros has really helped me get more organised. I was moving house last year so I don't think much would have happened but because of the extra time I've really got myself in gear and put together a small personal collection as well as a much bigger Euro 96 inspired collection with yourselves. I think the wheels are in motion for a Euros pop up in London as well which hopefully gets the Covid go ahead. It's always nice to be out and actually meet other artists and customers in the real world so keep your eyes peeled for all the information about that one.

CK: If you were to design a collection directly with one footballer, who would it be?

JP: Well it used to be Le Tissier but unfortunately with all his recent weird outspoken views about Covid lies and Brexit i've had to shelf Matt sadly. Obviously Alessandro is another player who will have to be avoided haha. 

Gazza's always up there for me and of course Zizou but I think Davids could be the perfect player to have a whole collection designed around him, and he loves his fashion. So let's just say Edgar.

CK: What are your favourite bootleg shirts in your personal collection? 

JP: I’m a sucker for a goalkeeper bootleg as not many exist so I have to start with an Angelo Peruzzi long sleeve from his Juve days. As I only own a couple of keeper knock offs it feels unfair not including the Barthez Spiderman to the list as well. One of my pickups of the year has to be a donation from @shirts_ive_kicked_people_in who kindly donated to my collection a very special Lazio Gazza edition. Absolutely love the style of this design and can't wait to try and replicate it in one of our future projects. Next up they don’t much crazier than this Batigol Fiorentina montage shirt. It has a young Batistuta centre stage and then every bit of bootleg graphic style all rolled into one. Following that madness is a marble effect Filippo Inzaghi shirt that couldn't celebrate the hitman any better. Last but not least is a montage shirt that really kick started my love for this style of fake football shirts. Again cuffed long sleeve with a great all over Roma print on the back and Uruguayan footballer Daniel Fonseca running down the wing surrounded by fans, what more could you want.

It's been hard recently finding new additions that I don't already have but I just added a brilliant Hidetoshi Nakata which I will share with you when it arrives. 

Again thanks for reaching out to me guys and getting me involved in more projects and hopefully see any of you who are reading this at the London pop up during the Euros. 

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The Riquelme and Okocha bootleg shirts will be available on Cult Kits from Friday 14th May in very limited numbers.