Why Travis Kelce was a fashion icon even before Taylor Swift: they made headlines with their couple looks – but the NFL star was already well-known for his bold streetwear and sneakers

Nov 29 , 2023

Megastar Taylor Swift has brought the NFL’s Travis Kelce into the fashion mainstream. Photo: @killatrav/Instagram

Kelce wore a shirt made from Yves Saint Laurent scarves while kissing Swift after her Eras concert in Buenos Aires, Argentina – causing the piece of apparel to promptly sell out

The NFL star was into fashion as a kid, describes game day as ‘a red carpet’, and brought the Kansas City Chiefs and his clothing brand, Tru Kolors, together for an athleisure capsule collection

If you’re an NFL fan, you’ll know that Travis Kelce is no stranger to bold fashion choices. But with megastar Taylor Swift on his arm, his style has become a source of global interest. All eyes are on the Kansas City Chiefs tight end as he dresses for what is being called the “fashion game of his career”, per GQ. Now, his outfits might be grabbing more attention than even those of his new girlfriend.

Here are some of his more daring choices making headlines, from trainers to streetwear, and why he isn’t about to change his look.

The kiss that made Travis Kelce’s shirt go viral

Swifties around the world gasped as their icon not only gave her man a lyrical shout-out during her concert in Buenos Aires, Argentina, earlier this month, but was also spotted sharing a kiss with him after the show ended.

Kelce travelled to Argentina to see Swift perform – and ended up trending, not just because of their relationship, but because of his fashion. Waiting patiently on the sidelines, the NFL star wore a green, white and blue multi-pattern shirt by designer J. Logan Horne. The designer told Fox News that “the exposure from Travis has been astronomical”, explaining that traffic to his website has “skyrocketed”.

The shirt is from Horne’s Maison collection. The designer said that each piece in the range is put together using three separate vintage scarves – this particular shirt is created from original Yves Saint Laurent scarves. Horne added that Kelce’s style is daring and that the athlete doesn’t’ shy away from bright colours and bold patterns. “He definitely isn’t afraid to take any risks when it comes to fashion,” said Horne.

The fashion lead-up

Donna Kelce (left), mother of Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce, watched his game with pop superstar Taylor Swift on September 24. Photo: Tribune News Service

But that wasn’t the first time Kelce’s style caught the attention of Swifties and the fashion world alike.

Relationship rumours around the couple intensified in September, when Swift showed up at the Kansas City Chiefs game against the Chicago Bears. After the match, Kelce and Swift were spotted together, with Kelce wearing a light blue and white denim jacket and pants set from KidSuper titled “Bedroom Painting”.

Per The New York Times, KidSuper renamed its “Bedroom Painting” products on its website to “1989 Bedroom Painting” as an ode to Swift’s 1989 album and to the couple.

American designer Colm Dillane began releasing clothes under the KidSuper label in 2010. He decided to rename certain items after seeing Kelce wear the outfit, he told The New York Times. The marketing move worked – the jacket completely sold out, with the pants only being available in certain sizes at the time, revealed Dillane.