Overview:
Haiti’s appearance at the FIFA World Cup 2026 inspired Haitian artists, designers and cultural storytellers to reshape how the nation is perceived globally. Through fuller creations off the soccer field, many aim to ensure the world sees more than a crisis.
Days before the 2026 FIFA World Cup kicked off, as Haiti’s uniform drew international attention when FIFA rejected imagery for being “political,” the back-and-forth also drew a broader key question: Who gets to tell Haiti’s story?
Haitian fashion designers, multidisciplinary artists, marketers and other storytellers answered resoundingly: We do.
“Like every country, we have challenges,” painter Bacheler Jean Pierre said. “But we are also people of joy, hope, art, dance, color, freedom and pride.”
His From Ashes to Glory, a painting depicting Haitian players celebrating, became part of a collaboration with Identity Boutik, a clothing and accessories brand founded by Jessica Vieux
“The scarf reflects who we are as Haitians,” he explains. “We are loud, energetic and full of life.”
With lighting speed, many creatives took to their art to take advantage of the attention – and possibility to earn a living – to share their version of Haiti through an array of art, merchandise and other products spotlighting the country’s beauty and history. Such depictions are what Haitian storytellers hope remain with global audiences, including fellow Haitians, long after the World Cup wraps up.
Spotlighting the culture
Multidisciplinary artist and filmmaker Jean-René Rinvil, is among many who used their art as the foundation for wearable designs. He created a series of World Cup-inspired jerseys featuring handpainted symbols that he says was never simply about soccer.
“This is an opportunity to show the world who we really are, and to keep telling that story long after the World Cup,” he said.
The ‘Eske w pare” (Are you ready) World Cup jersey by Jean-René Rinvil
For Haitian American illustrator Lyne Lucien, representation begins with reclaiming who gets to tell Haiti’s story.
As Haiti’s official artist for Fox Sports’ FIFA World Cup 2026 Global Artist Series and Sports Illustrated World Cup covers, Lucien’s design purposely extends beyond soccer.
To move away from the ‘poverty porn’ storytelling that reduces Haiti to its hardships at the expense of its assets, the visual artist’s work focuses on more than the athletes. She highlights iconic elements — such as traditional Haitian dancers in karabela, a tap-tap bus, the Citadelle Laferrière, the statue of Jean-Jacques Dessalines — and the lush landscapes, marketplaces and everyday moments that define Haitian life.
“For audiences accustomed to viewing Haiti in crisis, post the World Cup, my work offers another perspective — one centered on beauty, joy and belonging,” she said.
“They finally get to see who we are,” Lucien continued. “We are not pain. We are not suffering. We are actually love, joy, creative, smart, ambitious, bold people.”
Fashioning new narratives
Similarly, Club Eritaj, founded by Haitian Americans seeking to maintain a deeper connection to home, uses fashion as a vehicle for cultural storytelling. Their SS26 Made To Be Kept Dossier 01 limited debut collection pieces are intended to live beyond match day. Each design element honors pivotal moments, symbols and values that have shaped the nation and its legacy.
The Eritaj Ball™, for example, centers on 1804, the year Haiti became the first Black Republic. It features six vèvè, sacred cultural symbols associated with Vodou lwa. Another design, the Eritaj Number 18 jersey, symbolizes a recurring thread in Haitian history: May 18, Haitian Flag Day, November 18, both for the Vertières battle and Haiti’s second World Cup qualification.
For painter Naderson Saint-Pierre, and fashion designer Daveed Baptise, the World Cup was an obvious opportunity to present Haiti’s story through fashion.
The pair crafted a custom duffel bag featured in KidSuper Spring 2027 Menswear by Colm Dillane, completing the piece in just two days. Through its imagery of market vendors, baskets of produce, vibrant color palette and Haitian folk-art-inspired figures, the travel bag showcases everyday community life, commerce and resilience.
Baptiste said the collaboration was made special, “Not just because my designs are involved, but I get to collaborate with other Haitian artists doing incredible things. That’s inspiring.”
As Haitians around the world rallied behind the national team, Peterson Derelus, founder of People of Clothing, was inspired to create a World Cup-themed jacket he then gifted to Haiti’s players before their first game. Featuring symbols rooted in Haiti’s revolutionary history, including Nèg Mawon, the national crest, ‘Grenadye Alaso’ and the hibiscus flower.
“I hope to build a platform that celebrates identity, honors heritage and unites communities through the power of fashion and sport,” he said.
Rather than designing around trends, Nicolas approaches each collection as an opportunity to explore history and identity. Similar to his “Grenadier” Heritage Jersey honoring the warriors who carried a nation’s hopes onto the global stage or his Ayiti Tribe World Cup Jersey Dress in collaboration with Tadia Toussaint.
“Through research, collaborations, historical references, and carefully crafted narratives, I introduce audiences to stories they may never have encountered otherwise,” Nicolas said.
For Gandhi LaBelle, founder of Gade Vedette, fashion is about visibility, confidence and changing perceptions. Born in New York to Haitian parents from Jacmel and Les Cayes and raised in the Philadelphia area, LaBelle created the brand after noticing a gap in how Haiti was represented through fashion.
In Haitian Creole, gade vedèt roughly translates to “look at that star,” a phrase that became the foundation of the brand’s identity and motto: ‘Design to be Seen.’ Drawing on his communications background and social media expertise, his recent collection went viral, turning Gade Vedette into a full-time business.
For LaBelle, his brand is a way to challenge stereotypes and celebrate Haitian excellence beyond moments like Flag Day or the World Cup.
“I want people to wear their heritage every day,” he said. “Haitians deserve to be seen for our creativity, our confidence and everything we contribute, not just the headlines.”
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