At every stage of the creation process, Calma goalkeepers command creation. The identity, beliefs, preferences, and image of the brand’s athlete partners are at the forefront of design.
Calma’s partnership with Maarten Paes embodies this commitment. The Indonesian international, currently playing in the MLS for FC Dallas, joins a growing brand on a long-term journey that he will play an integral part in.
“As a goalkeeper, you grow up choosing gloves by feel or emotion, not by knowing what goes into them”, he explained. “When I joined Calma, I saw an opportunity to change that”.
The Indonesian international, currently plying his trade for FC Dallas in the MLS, Maarten has co-designed an exclusive line of gloves that reflect his journey to the top. From the materials woven through the glove, to the design crafted on the backhand, through to planned promotional activities, he has been at the present, engaged, and active.
From meeting the manufacturer, constantly trying and testing samples, and learning more about the fair labour standards that Calma’s European manufacturing operation ensures, Maarten began to believe that he could be at the forefront of a push to make this glove creation standard a global norm.
That’s no copywriting buzzphrase. A global brand has to embed itself within global communities. Maarten’s Indonesian and Dutch heritage, and strong personal identification with his international roots, is the story at the centre of this partnership. It’s implanted in the way he plays, and the way he sees the world. So Calma ensured it was also implanted in his gloves, and his relationship with the Calma brand.
A talented linguist and passionate entrepreneur, Calma’s approach to the collaboration also embraces Maarten’s other sporting passions. The unique sports fan culture in the US, combined with the Indonesian goalkeeper’s forward-thinking digital presence, means Maarten has become one of the most socially recognisable figures in the MLS on digital platforms.
Our partnership with Maarten Paes gives a new practical meaning to ‘athlete-first’ collaborations. Stay tuned for Maarten’s exclusive glove drop.
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Flekken x Calma