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Agenda-setting intelligence, analysis and advice for the global fashion community.

How I Became… NFL’s First-Ever Fashion Editor

After interning with celebrity stylist Karla Welch and fashion brand Amiri, Kyle Smith landed a job at the National Football League and found his niche in the intersection of fashion and sports. In 2024, he was appointed the NFL’s first-ever fashion editor, working with players like Joe Burrow and Justin Jefferson. Now, he shares his career advice.
Kyle Smith, NFL fashion editor, with the NFL players Marquez Valdes-Scantling of the New Orleans Saints and Ogbo Okoronkwo of the Cleveland Browns and his teammate D'Anthony Bell (far left)  and Joshua Kalu (white/red/black sweater) after the KidSuper Fall 2025 Menswear Collection show in Paris. Photo by James Hill/25 January 2025.
Kyle Smith, NFL fashion editor, with NFL players: D'Anthony Bell of the Cleveland Browns; his teammate Ogbo Okoronkwo; Joshua Kalu of the Titans; and Marquez Valdes-Scantling of the New Orleans Saints, after the KidSuper Fall 2025 Menswear Collection show in Paris. (Photo by James Hill/25 January 2025.)

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Further Reading

Fashion’s Biggest Super Bowl Ever

American brands swooped in on Super Bowl LIX, staging runway shows in its host city of New Orleans and collaborating with halftime star Kendrick Lamar as fashion and football took their relationship to a new level.

Inside the Big Business of Styling Athletes

NBA stars and footballers are increasingly leaning on a network of powerful style consultants to help them shape their personal brands away from their day jobs, laying the groundwork for lucrative brand deals.

Fashion’s Sports Obsession Is No Accident

The Olympics are proving a perfect marriage of the sports and fashion industries. It’s the culmination of several factors that have turned sport into fashion’s most exciting new arena over the past two years.

About the authors
Sophie Soar
Sophie Soar

Sophie Soar is the Commercial Features Editor at The Business of Fashion. She is based in London and oversees BoF’s careers advice and written content partnerships at BoF.

Eoghan O’Donnell
Eoghan O’Donnell

Eoghan O’Donnell is the Junior Commercial Writer at The Business of Fashion (BoF). From Kerry, Ireland and based in London, he contributes to BoF’s careers advice and written content partnerships.

In This Article

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