• by Tanya Gazdik , 3 hours ago

Abercrombie & Fitch will bring custom styling for NFL athletes, player-designed apparel and on-site event activations to the NFL.

The retailer, which is the league’s first official NFL fashion partner, first launched licensed NFL products in 2022.

Abercrombie’s aim is to redefine fan style through a fashion-first lens in partnership with the NFL, according to the company.

The partnership demonstrates the league’s ongoing efforts to grow its fan base, especially with female fans. 

With women making up to close to half of the league's fans, fashion and sports are intersecting in new ways to provide them with options to showcase their fandom authentically on game day.

Both brands have other fashion meets sports partnerships.

Last week, Abercrombie & Fitch announced the debut of a multi-season partnership with Pittsburgh Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt and his wife, former professional soccer player Dani Watt. The first release of the co-designed collection for Abercrombie's activewear brand, Your Personal Best (YPB), has dropped online and in stores.

The NFL recently announced a partnership with Crocs. According to the NFL, the multi-year licensing agreement will entail an "NFL x Crocs" collaboration featuring team-inspired footwear and NFL-themed Jibbitz.

The Abercrombie deal includes athlete-led campaigns and player-designed apparel.

A national seasonal campaign “Style Concierge” features players known for their personal style off the field, including Christian McCaffrey (San Francisco 49ers), Amon-Ra St. Brown (Detroit Lions), CeeDee Lamb (Dallas Cowboys) and Tee Higgins (Cincinnati Bengals). 

The campaign represents the largest advertising investment the brand has made in the sports space and will run nationally across linear, CTV and HBO Max as well as Meta, TikTok and NFL-owned channels. 

In addition to the campaign, each player has partnered with Abercrombie to design a limited-edition co-designed apparel, available for purchase this upcoming NFL season.

The brand will activate across NFL tentpole events, including select NFL international games and within its retail locations worldwide.

The NFL is partnering with brands that share its strategic vision, says Tracie Rodburg, senior vice president of global partnerships at the NFL.  

The deal will help reinforces the league’s position as a growing leader in the fashion community while celebrating players’ dynamic style, Roxbury says. 

“We're uniquely positioned for this moment where sports, fashion and culture are converging like never before,” said Abercrombie & Fitch Co. chief executive officer Fran Horowitz in a release. "This NFL partnership goes beyond licensing. It is about meeting the needs of an expanding audience.”

As part of the partnership, Abercrombie will launch the Abercrombie Style Concierge, a first-of-its-kind service providing curated outfitting for select NFL athletes. The program offers direct access to Abercrombie’s in-house styling experts, tailored to each athlete’s individual style and schedule. 

Abercrombie has teamed up with several NFL players to receive early access to the Abercrombie Style Concierge service. 

These players, including those featured in the "Style Concierge" campaign, are Fred Warner (San Francisco 49ers), Drake Maye (New England Patriots), Cooper DeJean (Philadelphia Eagles) and Jake Ferguson (Dallas Cowboys). All partner athletes will also receive early access to the Abercrombie Style Concierge service.