Clara Borde de Castro

In the aftermath of the UEFA Nations League victory, we’re sharing this interview we had with Clara Borde de Castro, the true queen of bootlegs. From her childhood in the suburbs of Paris to her latest amazing creations, in this interview we learnt more about her career and her interests. I hope you enjoy it!

Who is Clara Borde de Castro?

I’m a franco-portuguese artist based in Paris. For the past 10 years, I’ve been collecting bootleg football items, mostly related to Cristiano Ronaldo. My project, CR7 BOOTLEGACY, is an artistic research journey where I rework these pieces to explore memory, identity, and fan culture through fashion.

You weren’t born in Portugal but in France. What was your childhood like there?

I grew up in the suburbs of Paris. Every summer, we’d go to Portugal for the holidays, I was one of those “french cousins” who only showed up in august and barely knew the country. However in France, I was always reminded I was portuguese. So I had to navigate between these two worlds, feeling like I didn’t fully belong to either. For a long time, that made me feel out of place, until football, especially Ronaldo, gave me a way to reconnect with my roots.

You have a background in graphic design. How did your interest in fashion — specifically in garment-making come about? And what about football?

Graphic design taught me to read images, symbols, and meaning, which sparked my initial interest with bootlegs. I’ve always loved fashion but thought building a career in it was too complicated. So I started reworking my bootleg pieces just for fun, to wear to the stadium. Sewing runs in the family, my grandmother was a seamstress, and I made my first CR7 BOOTLEGACY pieces on her old machine in Portugal. Luckily, you can’t see the flaws up close! Football has been a constant too: my dad’s a big AS Saint-Étienne fan, and on my mom’s side, my family has been FC Porto “sócios” for generations. Design, fashion, football, family, they all come together in my work.

Can you explain the whole process behind creating one of your pieces?

It all starts with bootleg items I find: towels, shirts, scarves. I visualize how to assemble and transform them while preserving their strong visual message, which is what interests me most. The image has to stay clear and respected; I’m not about tearing shirts apart just to lose the meaning. I sew a rough first version myself, then lately I’ve been working with a seamstress who helps refine the patterns and finishes the pieces professionally.

Do you have a favorite place to buy your Cristiano merchandise?

Almost everything comes from beach markets and souvenir shops in Portugal. I have a few secret spots I keep close to my chest, sorry, no addresses here!

As a Portuguese person living in France, how was it to experience the Euro 2016 win there?

I watched the final in France with friends rooting for France, only two of us were french-portuguese girls, and honestly, we already felt like winners. The french were so confident, the atmosphere was tense everywhere, so I kept it low-key around them. But the pride was real. When I got home, my mom was already cruising the neighborhood, honking her horn like crazy. Nothing beats the feeling of your team winning their first big trophy. That moment sparked my pride in being portuguese, I truly felt part of something bigger.

Have you ever received any feedback from Cristiano regarding your pieces?

Not yet! But I’d love to know what he thinks and if Georgina ever wants a dress, I’d be more than happy to make one for her, fingers crossed!

The bootleg world is usually undervalued and criticized by many. Yet, your pieces seem to be “accepted” by the community. How do you explain this phenomenon?

I think people see the love and care behind the work. It’s never about mocking, it’s about honoring shared memories and showing how powerful football culture is. Sure, bootlegs are trendy now, but when I started, people thought I was crazy. I had to work hard to explain the process and the value these pieces hold. Popular culture (football, rap, fandom...) has long been looked down on in art and design, and that always frustrated me during my studies and early graphic design career. So I made it my mission to flip the script and show just how meaningful and powerful this culture really is.

As is well known, football is still unfortunately a male-dominated world. Have you ever felt any prejudice for being a woman interested in it?

Absolutely. People often ask me to justify my passion for Cristiano Ronaldo, while men wearing his jersey never get questioned but recently, at the Women’s Champions League final in Lisbon, the highlight of my trip was seeing a mother holding hands with her two sons, all three wearing Aitana Bonmatí jerseys. The world is changing. I try to turn prejudice into strength and carve out space for myself and all the women who love football.

What can we expect from Clara Borde in terms of future projects? Do you see yourself expanding your line of pieces to include other footballers?

I’m definitely continuing to work on Cristiano’s legacy, but I think the time has come to celebrate other football icons, especially those of my friends in the game. It’s coming soon, so stay tuned!

A positive message for our community :)

Celebrate what you love, even if it’s not considered cool or serious. Passion and discipline are what truly bring your vision to life. Keep creating, keep sharing, and stay proud of who you are!