Although he is the latest in a long line of French footballers of Algerian descent, Houssem Aouar, just like Zidane and Benzema, is a generational talent. A player with the balance, vision, ingenuity and artistry to be the next to add another important stroke to the masterpiece of modern French football. While the mainstream footballing world has suddenly caught wind of Houssem – with new transfer moves and murmurs being mooted every five minutes – his name has echoed around the streets of Lyon for years.
His outlook, his ethos, even the way he speaks – his favourite saying being ‘Pelo,’ a typical Lyonnais term which means ‘my bro’ – is influenced by the city: the place he calls home and the district where he was raised by a single mother who was a nurse in Algeria before she arrived in France. He admits that his mother gives him ‘the strength and motivation’ to achieve and believe in more. So, despite the fact that he may experience a life beyond Lyon at some point in his career, he remains unfazed.
On set, in a studio at the heart of his hometown, he is relaxed. Houssem talks with the precise blend of concentration, confidence and nonchalance that you would expect. The same kind of telepathic understanding that sees him control time and space on the pitch. It’s this aesthetic playing style and attacking nous that has made him such a mouthwatering prospect to top European clubs. It also makes him the type of guy who makes you feel comfortable and relaxed from minute one.
He has the breadth and intelligence to talk about any topic introduced to him. For instance, he chats in-depth about the last film he watched, The Equalizer, he opens up about style in the Lyon dressing room and admits that Memphis Depay, another man who looks set to experience life beyond the French city, is the best dressed footballer on the planet. Although brands like ‘adidas, Prada and Dior’ are the ones to max out his wardrobe, he has no ambitions beyond football right now. “I just try to stay as focussed as much as I can.” It’s his sole purpose. Which means whatever the future holds, he only has one tunnelled-vision mission.
“My motivation is to win as many trophies as possible,” he explains. Having grown up watching the likes of Lionel Messi, the player he confesses to be the toughest opponent he’s ever faced, and Zinedine Zidane, his childhood hero and the player ‘who made him love football,’ Houssem has the fire to light his own path.
“My dream is to win a lot of trophies and to have a beautiful career,” he empowers. And you believe him. He allows the swivel of his head and hips to do the talking for him and often likes to leave things left unsaid. So, it’s fitting that the player who can control and dictate the tempo of the game on the pitch concedes that ‘reading people’s minds’ would be his chosen superpower. It, unintentionally, epitomises everything about him. He’s quiet, he’s understated and no matter the noise around him, will always remain pure, focussed and consistent. So, let’s see where it takes him.
We closed out 2024 in true GAFFER fashion with an exclusive rooftop party at The Nest: Treehouse to celebrate! Santa brought gifts, his elves brought the vibes, along with a fire DJ lineup led by our friends WAY2LATE who kept us dancing all night.
GAFFER stepped behind the scenes ahead of the show to capture the atmosphere and speak with Feng Chen Wang about the emotional threads woven through her latest work, the power of collaboration, and what it means to create with intention in today’s fashion landscape.
We’ve finally recovered from our first GAFFER house party! We threw it back to the golden era of old-school get-togethers as we took over Soho’s newest spot House Party
On June 16th, we kicked off the Euro 2024 season in unparalleled fashion by partnering with Hublot for an epic Screening Party at the luxurious Four Seasons Penthouse.
We brought the South Africa heat to London this March and it was nothing short of a SPECTACLE. We rounded up an all-star lineup of the female powerhouses behind Amapiano to take us to the streets of SA. Our biggest and best one yet…
We couldn’t wait a month for our GAFFER Christmas Party, so we thought we’d give you a taste of what to expect. We called in Kin Kin, a collective of some of London’s strongest DJ and music talent. We’ve collaborated on many events, and they’ve always been something to rave about. But you know what they say… if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
From West Africa to the West End... Another GAFFER after party for a sold out show. This time round, we opened the doors of Windmill, Soho, to the global Afro-soul sensation, Ayra Starr, following her first ever headline show in London.
50 Cent followed his sell-out show at the O2 with a more intimate performance of some of his greatest hits, celebrating 20 years of <i> Get Rich or Die Tryin’. </i>
Joining him were legends and tour support acts Busta Rhymes and Jeremih who also blessed the stage with some of their biggest hits.
We threw our first ever Halloween party at Windmill, Soho and it wasn't one to be missed. It was big and bold in every way. All our guests came dressed to impress and the energy in the room was infectious.
We took our 'Don't Tell The GAFFER' nights to a whole new level. Our biggest party to date did not miss. GAFFER lit up KOKO and it didn’t matter where you were in the building, the atmosphere was electric from the stage to the balconies.