A self-taught fashion designer whose creation was worn by Taylor Swift has received another major endorsement, this time from the NFL.
Kristin Juszczyk, who is known for reworking traditional sports jerseys into unique fashion pieces, has landed a licensing deal with the American football league. According to the deal, first reported by Sportico, Juszczyk has been granted the rights to use NFL marks in her men’s and women’s apparel designs, the league said. No financial terms were disclosed.
Juszczyk, 29, was thrust into the limelight after she created a one-off puffer jacket for Swift, featuring the name and number of her boyfriend Travis Kelce, the Kansas City Chiefs tight end. Swift wore the jacket to the Chiefs' wild-card playoff game against the Miami Dolphins on January 19, causing a stir online.
For those who follow the NFL, however, Juszczyk is not an entirely unfamiliar name. She is the wife of San Francisco 49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk. The couple married in 2019.
The 49ers are set to meet Kelce's Chiefs at the Super Bowl on February 11.
On her website, Juszczyk says she grew up in New York and attended college in Maryland where she met her "amazing husband Kyle". She says her love for sewing was instilled in her at a young age.
"I spent countless nights crocheting with my grandma while watching Wheel of Fortune," she writes.
"I rediscovered my love of sewing one Halloween when I decided to make a costume for Kyle and I. I then began reworking my game day outfits for Kyle’s games. I started reworking old T-shirts, jerseys and even footballs into fresh designs. I continue to challenge myself to create new styles and broaden my skill set.
"I am completely self-taught. I’ve learned everything I know from YouTube. I have to say I’ve never felt more fulfilled in my life," she adds.
Swift is not her first celebrity client. Juszczyk has created sport-inspired designs for Brittany Mahomes, who is married to Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes; gymnast Simone Biles, who is married to Green Bay Packers’ Jonathan Owens; and actor Taylor Lautner, a Detroit Lions fan.
