The scene at New York City’s Corner Bistro could have passed for happy hour at a London pub on Wednesday afternoon. The operative word being could, because there aren’t many alehouses that have been completely decked out by Burberry on either side of the pond.
In celebration of its new campaign titled A Good Sport, the British heritage brand and chief creative officer Daniel Lee took over the beloved West Village watering hole. The invitation had recommended a prompt arrival time of 4 p.m. in order to catch the kickoff of the England vs. Croatia World Cup game. And guests actually listened—an anomaly in the fashion world—arriving punctually to the bar on West 4th Street just in time for the fun to begin. Soon, the game was afoot—as was the party itself.
Olivia Ponton sat perched atop a hunter green tartan-wrapped barstool snacking on fries. The White Lotus actor Adam diMarco and Ella Emhoff posed for photographers outside near the checkered ice cream truck. Models took over booths, tucking into cheese toasties and sliders. Meanwhile, beer and Guinness in Knight-emblazoned pint glasses, fruit punch, and martinis circulated the bar; ready for a “cheers” at any given moment.
This harmonious meeting between cultures is exactly what the World Cup embodies. “It’s something that every soccer fan rallies around,” Rose Lavelle, a midfielder on the U.S. Women’s National Team, told Vogue. “It’s such a great opportunity for everybody to experience different fan bases and different cultures. Being in New York for it has been so fun, and I feel like the buzz has been so special to experience.” Her former teammate, Kelley O’Hara, chimed in: “I think the coolest part is that it’s obviously not the number one sport in the U.S., but it’s so incredible as a footballer for everybody in this country to experience the culture that is soccer, and how it is this global sport, and how important it is to so many other countries.”
With each goal scored—especially the four netted by England—the crowd’s roars grew louder and louder. The event was ‘A Good Sport’ incarnate: the positive spirit of football fandom was alive and well.