Paris Saint-Germain, Inter's meeting in Champions League final showcases connection between fashion and sports

Paris Saint-Germain and Inter hail from two of the world's fashion capitals and highlight a unique level of collaboration between luxury brands and sports

It is as familiar a sight as any, be it on a live stream of choice or on a social media platform -- soccer players walk down a corridor of a stadium hours before an upcoming match, frequently in uniform. They are not clad in the kits that they will be wearing in a few short hours on the pitch, though. The outfits are usually something more formal, a look more sartorial than the polyester jerseys they are famed for wearing – and oftentimes supplied by a luxury apparel brand.

The name recognition of the players on the pitch has matched that of the fashion houses that have flocked to dress them in recent years, both for matches big and small. Look no further than this season's edition of the UEFA Champions League, when Hugo Boss partnered with Stuttgart and Zegna outfitted reigning champions Real Madrid. High fashion will have a place at Munich's Allianz Arena for Saturday's final, too -- finalists Paris Saint-Germain and Inter hail from two of the world's fashion capitals and will likely turn up to the venue with an unofficial nod to their cities' stylish roots in Dior and Canali, respectively.

Formalwear and sports may feel like an unlikely combination but years after NBA players began to earn comprehensive coverage from GQ for their pre-match looks, luxury fashion brands have found a happy home in the professional sports landscape. It is not merely a matter of personal expression from individual athletes, though – these companies are striking actual partnerships with sports teams and especially so in soccer, the world's most popular sport. The collaborations are a mix of wants and needs for all parties involved, naturally coming with plenty of financial incentive and the most coveted intangible of our times – brand awareness.