Not My Cup Of Tea

I'll be honest when I say that I'll never be a fashion icon. I'm pretty sure that the only fashion designer who would hire me would be Mugatu from Zoolander for his "Derelicte" collection. In saying that, there are some fashion designers who are trying to elevate the hockey world into an haute couture existence, and one of those design houses is FE whose logo is shown above. According to their marketing jargon, FE has "partnered with the NHL to bring you an unparalleled collection of clothing that unites the spirit of the game with cutting-edge design." Today, however, FE is elevating one player's presence in their designs.

I wrote about FE in January 2024 as the AW Chang Corporation "signed a license agreement with the National Hockey League to launch a new apparel collection under the brand label of FE". At the time, I was baffled at and completely against the retail prices that FE was assigning to its products as $200 USD hoodies and $450 USD jackets were ridiculous price tags, but clearly I don't understand fashion when people are paying $500 USD for hockey jerseys. Fashion, right?

I received an email this week about their newest line of fashion: the Ovechkin Collection. Due to my complete disregard for Ovechkin, I nearly hit the "Delete" button, but I recalled my previous article about FE. Curiosity began to take over, so I went against my better judgement and clicked the link to view the new collection.

Immediately, regret set in because none of the new collection appealed to me whatsoever, but I can justify that thanks to my extreme dislike for both the Capitals and Ovechkin as a Pittsburgh Penguins fan. However, I realize that my bias won't help me give an honest review of these designs for the average fan, so let's dig into the Ovechkin Collection and what's worth your hard-earned money!

The two designs to the right might be the best options when it comes to actual fashion as it's clear which team and player the wearer of said shirts are supporting. The one on the right would be the most expensive shirsey in the history of sports, but it's clean, is in the Capitals' colour scheme, and is identifable from the name and number. However, the $148 USD price tag for either of these hoodies is a completely ludicrous price point for most fans. If you're going to spend that kind of money, just spend the extra dollars and just get the replica jersey with customization. $148 is insanity for a hoodie.

Beyond that, the $158 track jacket with the virtually invisible embroidery is beyond any price point I'd pay for a polyester jacket made of 94% recycled polyester. Don't get me wrong in that recycling polyester is a good idea, but charging me $158 when it costs about $5 per yard of recycled polyester means someone is making crazy money. Save your money and don't buy into the hype on this one.

As I wrote in 2024, "[t]hese prices are simply unrealistic for the majority of fans." For $150 USD, you can buy a ticket to a game and see Ovechkin play the game for which he's famous. You don't need a fashion hoodie to prove you're a fan of the Great Eight. As much as I like the AW Chang Corporation being a greener business by using recycled materials for their clothing and renewable power sources to power their mills, the prices for their designer clothing shouldn't require one to have a six-figure income to be able to afford them.

The Ovechkin Collection from FE is interesting, but I like buying groceries and keeping the lights on at my house. I won't be walking red carpets in my plain hoodie or plain track jacket, but they won't put me on a collection agency's list either. That's good enough for me.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!