The World Came to Us
In college, I spent a semester studying in Salamanca, Spain. One of my closest friends there was from Belgium, and he loved futbol. Not the casual, "I'll catch the game if it's on" kind of love. The real kind. Barcelona season tickets and all. One weekend, he looked at my friend Laura and me and said, "You have to come with me."
We didn't really understand what the big deal was. We thought we were simply going to watch a football match. Looking back, I realize he wasn't inviting us to a game. He was inviting us into something he loved.
I still remember walking toward the stadium with thousands of people pouring through the streets. Chanting songs and blowing horns. We picked up a jersey; mine was Ronaldinho's, and Laura's was Messi's. We didn’t know a thing about the game, but we sure knew how to fit right in.
Barca won. I don't remember the final score or much else, but I remember the feeling. It was watching an entire city gather around something that connected them. When the match ended, I remember thinking, "I get it now." Not because I suddenly became a football expert. But because I understood why he loved it. His passion had become contagious.
We were said to be the lucky charms, so we went to two more matches, and Barca won, and we won by finding ourselves on national television, losing our minds after Ronaldinho bicycle-kicked it in for the winning goal.
...
Fast forward twenty years. Matt begins working for FIFA.
Suddenly, we have access to World Cup tickets, not free tickets, because FIFA is not that generous. Ha. But the opportunity to buy at a great price. Almost immediately, I found myself doing exactly what Robbie, my Belgian friend, had done all those years ago.
Texting friends. Calling family. Asking Matt's colleagues if they planned to use all of their tickets. Trying to connect as many people as possible with the experience. It wasn't really about the football. I simply wanted people to feel what I had felt 20 years ago.
Because every once in a while, someone, like Robbie, invites you into something they love. And it quietly changes you. I've watched it happen over and over again this month. Friends and family are having the best time making memories they will cherish forever.
One friend told me, "I don't know how to explain it. I just felt... alive and so joyous! I knew exactly what they meant.
The older I get, the more I think curiosity is one of the greatest gifts we can give ourselves. Curiosity keeps us from becoming too certain that our way is the only way. It reminds us there's always another story, another perspective, another way of seeing the world.
Maybe that's why this World Cup has felt different. Yes, people are showing up for football. But underneath the matches, something quieter is happening.
People are discovering things about people and countries around the world that they never knew, countries they had never thought much about before. Without realizing it, they're becoming curious. And curiosity has a funny way of leading us somewhere better.
One of the biggest truths is that it's incredibly difficult to dismiss people once you've spent time with them. Once you've shared a meal. Once you've celebrated together. Once you've heard their story. The people we imagine are often very different from the people we actually meet. Maybe that's the real magic of the World Cup. For a few weeks, the distance between us shrinks.
It's easy to believe the world is becoming more divided because that's often the story we're told. But spend a day walking around a World Cup site, and you'll see another story unfolding. You'll see people who, despite different languages, passports, and traditions, laugh at the same moments, worry about their kids, celebrate together, and instinctively help one another.
It doesn't erase our differences. It simply reminds us they aren't the whole story. Maybe that's what I've loved most about this summer.
Not just the football, but the reminder that the world is far more generous, curious and connected than we sometimes give it credit for.
So, how can you be the person who says, "Come with me. I want you to experience something I love."
That's what bridges really are. Not structures. But invitations.
Futbol, Fashion & Reality
Let's talk World Cup fashion for a second. I had grand plans jerseys, Adidas sneakers, denim skirts, all the Pinterest-worthy looks. Then Miami reminded me that it's approximately 9,000 degrees outside.
So practicality won.
My game-day uniform has become athleisure dresses, sneakers, and my Amelia Clear Backpack. We originally designed Amelia because I needed a stadium-approved bag that could carry my essentials and my kids' essentials without wrecking my shoulder. She's handled snacks, sunscreen, chargers, water bottles, and about 47 things that don't belong to me all summer long.
I've rounded up a few of my favorite World Cup-inspired looks below, including the one FIT that got my friend Jess and I on TV (mission accomplished of re-living the dream)
Kansas City Love
While Miami has been buzzing with World Cup energy, another part of the celebration is happening in Kansas City.
We're proud to be part of the City of Entrepreneurs activation at Union Station alongside more than 100 local businesses. We also partnered with the Next Paige Foundation to create limited-edition leather keychains, with 100% of proceeds supporting youth arts camps and creative programming for kids.
Small product. Big purpose. Just the way we like it.
She’s Finally Here
You asked. We listened. After nearly two years of requests, the Dominique Mini is finally here and judging by how quickly two colors sold out, I'd say you were as excited as we were.
She's the perfect in-between size: roomier than the Poole, smaller than the Dominique, and designed for everyday adventures. More are already on the way and begin shipping around July 21. Email me back to get on the list!
I hope this summer gives you every reason to say "yes" to the adventure, the conversation, the road trip, the match, and the moments that quietly change you.
Xoxo
Brooke
