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A Jersey Hunt In France

Photographer Nikita Taparia goes on a scavenger hunt of sorts

The idea was simple: a scavenger hunt for jerseys during my travels in France.

So far I have been to six different games in five cities— Paris, Reims, Le Havre, Rennes, and Lyon. And while I thought the task would be easy, I started to realize very quickly that everybody saved their jerseys for game day. In particular, USA game days would be a sea of every generation USWNT jersey you can imagine. For me, the bonus was spotting NWSL representation as well.

Taken during the quarterfinal game in Paris.
Nikita Taparia

At non-USWNT games, it was easier to spot jersey representation from other countries. For instance, during the Norway-England match, I photographed fans representing Australia, Argentina, and Cameroon!

Repping Cameroon during a Norway-England game. (Nice photobomb as well)
Nikita Taparia

While jersey hunting in the stands is fun, my original intention was to photograph them near iconic places. I chilled near Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Reims for hours, surrounded by USWNT jerseys, hoping to spot a Spanish jersey. Instead, I ended up photographing people in Donovan jerseys.

Perhaps she were saving their USWNT jerseys for the quarterfinal against France?
Nikita Taparia

I went to Versailles for the day with zero luck in the markets, gardens, or palace. I hung out on the beach in Le Havre and sneakily photographed a person in a Norway jersey while also taking a picture of the boardwalk. I went to the top three museums in Paris (Orsay, Pompidou, and Louvre) in one day during the Paris heatwave. (Side note: I do not recommend this.) I struck out at the first two museums and honestly wanted to call it quits. But it seemed completely silly to travel to France and not fight through a giant mob to see a notoriously small painting of a famous smile. And let’s just say that despite all my shortcomings during this hunt for jerseys in France, I will always have the Mona Lisa.

I will always have the Mona Lisa.
Nikita Taparia

The rest of the gallery can be found here: