Joshua Zirkzee's Wardrobe Overhaul for a Fresh Start
Joshua Zirkzee is trying to change the conversation – and he’s starting with his wardrobe.
The Manchester United forward has flown in a stylist from the Netherlands to overhaul his look as he targets a fresh start on and off the pitch. The brief was clear and unapologetic: he wants to “look like a rapper from the 90s”.
Zirkzee, 25, has yet to truly convince at Old Trafford since arriving from Bologna in 2024. Two goals in 24 appearances last season left him tagged as a £36.5million gamble that hasn’t paid off, and he has already been linked with a move back to Italy this summer.
He remains involved in pre-season, one of the few recognised centre-forwards in Michael Carrick’s squad as United face Leeds in Dublin on Wednesday night. His future still hangs in the balance, but away from Carrington he has gone all-in on a reset.
To do that, he turned to Dutch wardrobe stylist Sydney Luchies.
“Rapper from the 90s – with his own touch”
Luchies, based in the Netherlands, has documented her work with Zirkzee on TikTok, taking followers behind the scenes of the style reboot. She laid out her process in one of the videos, explaining how she starts by building a mood board before moving on to full outfit creation and ordering.
“Joshua lives in Manchester, so this time we flew to England,” she said in the clip. “Once I arrived, I started preparing all the outfits for the fitting and Joshua wanted to look like a rapper from the 90s – with his own touch. So, I think we did well.”
Baggy silhouettes, bold pieces, a clear nod to a different era – the look is designed to separate him from the standard-issue footballer aesthetic and give him a more distinctive presence.
The project didn’t stop at new clothes. It started with a clear-out.
In a follow-up TikTok, Luchies filmed herself tackling Zirkzee’s sprawling wardrobe in Manchester. She sorted unwanted and unworn items into colour-co-ordinated piles, with a plan to sell the high-end pieces and donate the rest to charity. The aim was simple: strip things back, create space, and build something new.
“Come with me to do a closet clean for Joshua Zirkzee,” she told viewers. “Joshua asked if I could help him reorganise his closet, create a bit more space for new things, and make it all neat and organised.”
From photo shoots to Premier League closets
Luchies is no stranger to working in elite football circles. She has previously styled Burnley defender Quilindschy Hartman, currently on loan at Espanyol, and has been involved in shoots for PSV Eindhoven. Her portfolio includes collaborations with major brands such as Adidas, Puma and New Balance.
Describing herself as an “all-round wardrobe stylist and creative”, she outlines her philosophy on her website, saying her passion for fashion and creating began when she was a child and evolved into seeing outfits and concepts as “a form of art and self-expression”. Her approach, she writes, is to follow the wishes of her clients while adding her own vision, always striving for the best possible result.
For Zirkzee, that means a look that matches the personality he wants to project: bolder, more expressive, less like a typical Premier League squad player drifting on the fringes.
Now the question is whether the reset can extend to his football.
United invested heavily to bring him in, and patience will not last forever. With a revamped wardrobe and a new image, Zirkzee heads into the new campaign needing something far more important than a 90s rap aesthetic – he needs goals at Old Trafford.
