Travis Kelce takes fashion seriously. While the 34-year-old Kansas City Chiefs tight end has recently been making headlines for his bold and vibrant style choices while out and about with Taylor Swift, the professional athlete has long been hailed as a style star.
“Travis has a clear vision for his personal aesthetic and definitely styles himself,” Danielle Salzedo, head of strategy at A&A Management Group, exclusively told Us Weekly.
As for process, Salzedo — who has helped Kelce curate outfits for game days and red carpet appearances — calls their work collaborative. “I know what he likes, and I find him options with brands we know are his vibe — while also looking for new ones yet to be discovered,” she explained.
Unlike some celebrities, Kelce is very involved in clothing selection and purchases his own designer products rather than waiting to have them sent to him for free.
“He dedicates time to buying online, so he knows what’s out there and what’s new,” Salzedo told Us. “He spends a significant amount of time on different retail and designer sites looking for new pieces and shopping. He’s bought pieces before we can even contact the brand to secure the items.”
For Kelce, the limit does not exist when it comes to expressing himself through clothes. “He plays a lot with monochromatic sets as well as oversized [looks],” Salzedo shared. “He doesn’t shy away from mixing prints in unexpected ways.”
The NFL star’s closet is filled with pieces from Louis Vuitton, Fear of God, Christian Dior, Bottega Veneta, Tom Ford, Thom Browne, Marni and Kid Super.
Following the Chiefs vs. Chicago Bears game on September 24, Kelce was spotted walking hand in hand with Swift, 33, while wearing an off-white denim jacket adorned with an abstract blue illustration teamed with coordinating pants by Kid Super. The ensemble quickly went viral, with Swifties comparing the colorway to Swift’s 1989 (Taylor’s Version) artwork. The chatter surrounding the getup was so intense that the brand changed the name of the item from “Bedroom Painting Denim Jacket” to “1989 Bedroom Painting Denim Jacket.”
While the name change only further fueled speculation that the outfit was a shout-out to Swift, Salzedo told Us that Kelce already had the Kid Super set “in his closet.”
“I love the narrative being drawn to his looks,” Salzedo continued before addressing a separate Swift style theory: Kelce’s curtain pants.
Last month, Kelce rocked a pair of brown crushed velvet pants that many thought resembled the bronze curtains seen in Swift’s “Midnight Mayhem With Me” TikTok series from October 2022.
“They are playful, polished and cozy, which Travis always does so well,” Salzedo told Us, adding, “I don’t have the answer to the [curtain theory]. However, when people authentically connect, they start to have those serendipitous coincidences.”
In addition to always blessing Us with fashion statements, Kelce is dedicated to making a name for himself behind the scenes.
Salzedo told Us that Kelce is the “first NFL player to ever design an official local club merch collab,” and his brand Tru Kolors and the Chiefs are gearing up to release a joint collection “before the holiday season.”
Although his career in fashion is just getting started, Kelce’s already had an impact on the industry. As an athlete with a passion for style, getting dressed can be a challenge due to brands not carrying sizes that fit men of his “large stature.”
“His dress shoe size is 15,” Salzedo told Us. “Those red carpet moments take a little bit of planning and sourcing. Fortunately, a lot of the designers now are realizing that the tunnel moments with the athletes are major fashion stages and are beginning to cater to larger athletes.”
She added, “I’m sure someday soon you will see a collaboration with a big fashion brand and Travis Kelce that will highlight his dynamic taste. … More to come.”