Zinedine Zidane and the end of France's famous Clairefontaine fashion shows

Clearly keen to stamp his mark having finally taken the reins from Didier Deschamps following the World Cup in the summer, Zidane has set about imposing some strict new rules, seemingly to ensure all the focus is on matters on the pitch.

Among a number of changes to media access, the France and Real Madrid legend has barred the press from documenting his squad's arrival at the start of the international break, with images instead only being published through the French Football Federation's (FFF) official channels.

According to Spanish publication AS, the move is specifically designed to protect his players and ensure their outfits do not create an unnecessary storm, as has been the case in the past.

Zidane also did not want television cameras present when he announced his first squad in a press conference, which was instead streamed by the FFF. Reporters have, however, been able to watch certain training sessions and were given permission to conduct interviews in a mixed zone, which wasn't the case under Deschamps.

The players are affected, too; according to L'Equipe, private barbers have been banned from Clairefontaine as Zidane looks to make France's base a sanctuary that is closed off to outsiders.

The Clairefontaine catwalk wasn't a new thing, with Zidane's new rules putting an end to what had become an unofficial ritual among members of France's evolving squads down the years.

If you delve into the archives, you'll find that Les Bleus' players had been putting on their best outfits to be snapped by the waiting press on arrival at their training base for more than 15 years, dating back to the start of Laurent Blanc's two-year tenure in the summer of 2010.

There are images from that era of Samir Nasri rocking up in a James Dean t-shirt with two Louis Vuitton bags, Loic Remy in a belted double-breasted trench coat and Florent Malouda in a leather jacket and Chrome Hearts beanie (supposedly worth close to £5,000 today), all smiling and waving to the camera as, for a brief moment, they are seen dripping in luxury brands rather than training gear or their matchday kit.

They were the pioneers, and from that point onwards France's arrival photos became a regular feature - and key talking point - of football's international calendar.

It reached a point where it was not just newspapers and sports outlets that were requesting accreditation for the players' arrivals, but some of the biggest fashion publications, too.

"It's a key moment for us," Adrien Communier, head of the style section at GQ France told The Fashion Network last year. "It works well because they are figures recognised in popular culture."

Marie-Laure Gutton, curator of the Fashion in Motion exhibition at the Palais Galliera in Paris, added: "Players are becoming influencers. These luxury clothes aren't necessarily accessible to everyone who watches these players, but they can inspire, they can make people want to dress differently, with similar pieces from more affordable brands."

Barcelona's Jules Kounde, one of the current France stars who fancies himself as a fashionista, clearly enjoyed the spectacle. "It's generating a lot of buzz, I see it on social media, even the mainstream media are taking notice," he said. "It's cool, it's also a bit of friendly competition between us [players]. I think it's healthy. I enjoy doing it, I feel good in my clothes."

Zidane's ban means it's a good time to look back on some of the best and most bizarre fits we've seen in the Clairefontaine car park. Obviously fashion has evolved since the early 2010s, and with the benefit of hindsight, it's fair to say there have been plenty of howlers.

As you might have gathered from the previous descriptions, some of the efforts of the trailblazing players from that period haven't stood the test of time, but more recently - as certain stars really lean into the creative outlet - we have seen some big hits, as well as many that were eye-catching for the wrong reasons.

Kounde's arrival is hotly anticipated every international break. In March 2024, he turned heads by showing up in a left-field outfit featuring a matching yellow hat and fleece over double-denim Louis Vuitton jacket and trousers. A pair of outrageous Ugg moonboots completed the look.

You could argue Kounde redeemed himself later that year, provoking a whole feature in GQ with what they described as an "elevated, Parisian take on blokecore", featuring a vintage adidas France track jacket, black wide-leg trousers and Copa Mundial trainers.

Former Liverpool man Ibrahima Konate is another French star who is partial to making a fashion statement when he turns up for international duty. The centre-back went viral in October 2024 after emerging from his car wearing a Kenzo suit over a bizarre green mesh hoodie that was zipped all the way up over his face. He joked afterwards that he was trying to compete with Kounde.

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Aside from their eccentricity, the eye-watering cost of most of these outfits is probably a big part of the reason why Zidane has chosen to end the media frenzy around his players' arrivals at base.

French social media account @clothes.rap has been breaking down the cost of their getup since 2024, with the figures regularly reaching tens of thousands of euros and even stretching to six figures when watches are factored in.

Kounde's blokecore-inspired look from 2024 was tallied at €11,660 without a timepiece, while a €160,000 Audemars Piguet watch formed part of his arrival look in September 2025.

Even when players are seemingly dressed down, the numbers are significant. One simple Kylian Mbappe outfit from last year, comprising of a matching Dior shirt and trousers, a Dior t-shirt, Nike trainers and a Hublot watch was valued at more than €50,000. Benjamin Pavard's Bottega Veneta ensemble from March 2025 cost €11,690 without a watch.

These astronomical sums probably go some way to explaining why Zidane has brought an end to the pre-camp ritual in front of the cameras. It feels like a sensible move, and the players can still choose to dress up for the in-house media if they so wish. If this is the end of the Clairefontaine catwalk, though, at least we will always have the photos to look back on.