The player has just designed his own watch with the Swiss watchmaker Hublot—a limited release of 200 pieces, on which appears the motto “Trust Yourself” set into the dial. It’s a mantra he has followed since his first steps onto the field. “A project like this is part of a broader experience and lets me reach new stages in my life as a man,” Kylian Mbappé says at the outset, seated in a wide armchair. He has been an ambassador for the watchmaker since 2018, when, in the wake of France’s World Cup victory, the brand recognized the star’s incomparable marketing potential. Since then, other partners have rushed in. Nike had begun as early as 2006, supporting the boy from Bondy by supplying him with cleats; it has since been joined by about 10 other brands, including Oakley, Dior, Lego, the hotel group Accor, and health-tech unicorn Alan. Designer Ora-ïto, a friend of the player who has made a habit of elevating objects for major groups, sees a whole range of advantages for those who attach their name to a face synonymous with victory: “He embodies performance, speed, France. He has style, a kind of elegance in the way he moves,” says the designer, who compares him to a Ferrari Testarossa. “His ability to learn languages, to speak in a structured way, works in his favor. He has a different business model from others; he does not just do underwear ads like some do. He becomes a shareholder in certain companies, or a partner.” Ora-ïto sees “KM” as ready to follow in the footsteps of Jordan, Lacoste, or Stan Smith, whose names also resonate beyond the realm of sports performance.
