The new Spurs away kit is captain Son's best fit yet

Son Heung-min has just walked through the door head to toe in the new Spurs away kit, to be greeted as he doubtless always is – by a grinning face (mine) and a few dozen posters to sign for his adoring fanbase.

Son might be one of football's most creative outlets, but he's also a worshipper at the altar of fashion. From starring alongside Georgia May Jagger as the face of Burberry, to his role as Calvin Klein ambassador, Son Heung-min is in a better position than most to judge his club's efforts.

Son's ready for his close-up

“I'm the type of guy where simple is always the best,” says Son, whose impact at Spurs has been seismic (103 goals in 268 appearances) since his arrival in 2015 and who has just been named the new Spurs captain with the departure of Harry Kane. “That's why I love this shirt – it'll suit us perfectly."

Making its debut against Brentford alongside Captain Son at the weekend, it certainly ranks as one of the smartest away offerings in the Premier League ahead of the new season. Collar? Tick. Sponsors that manage to get away with being there? Check. Shiny badge that actually complements the kit and hasn't been added as an afterthought? Absolutely.

“You see so many people in the street wearing football shirts," adds Son. “As players, people are always looking at what you're wearing and what style you have. Even as a child I always wanted to dress nice.”

Fashion has always been a big thing for Son, and he's not kidding about his preference for simplicity, citing Margiela, Acne and Palace during our brief conversation. This passion is rubbing off on his teammates, with Son noticing that “more players than ever are interested in fashion… some of the other players dress really well.

“On the other side, some people don't really care. Some of the lads, when I see them – we all just look at each other and try not to laugh… Fraser Forster always laughs at me and my dress sense – he'll never understand what I'm wearing!”

Ben Davies, who somehow doesn't class himself as one of the more style conscious in the Spurs squad, reckons this kit hits the spot. “There's a big football shirt culture now," he says between takes. "We've seen some quality shirts over the last couple of years, but this one is really nice. It's got a good chance of getting out there. A football shirt isn't just a kit anymore, it's a fashion statement as well.”

He isn't wrong. A cursory look at football over the past few years brings up stellar examples like Japan's World Cup 2022 third kit, a raft of away shirts in this year's Women's World Cup, and pretty much every Venezia shirt made. Brands like Percival, Armani and Off White have entered the football stakes. Some even think it's gone too far, and that fashion has robbed the good old football jersey. Then again, football culture is culture – and who are we to block the calcio from the catwalk?

“It's my dream to have style and football together,” adds Spurs Women's forward Celin Bizet Ildhusøy, who has plans for the new shirt on and off the pitch. “It's in your mind, but you feel so much better on the pitch. You go on the pitch and think, Okay, I look good, the team looks good. It's a thing! Before, when I was in Norway and Paris, I would wear a football shirt if I was going out with friends, and wear a suit over it. [Football style] is getting there.”

Ossie Ardiles reigning supreme over shirt designs

Bitter North London rivals Arsenal are also known for bringing football and fashion together, and a series of solid Arsenal releases have only added to the local rivalry. How does young star striker Jamie Donley think the new Spurs away kit will fare in the battle for street-style domination?

“It's all about getting one up on the other team,” says Donley, who's taking part in a shoot at the Spurs stadium for the first time. “If you say you have better style, that might help you on the pitch. You feel like the man if you're wearing a nice shirt.”

As Spurs men look to kick start a fresh era, new manager Ange Postecoglou will be hoping that young confidence is shared by the senior side. At the very least, they'll look the part.