Kristin Juszczyk Talks New Gatorade Merch Capsule Collection, Designing Taylor Swift’s Travis Kelce Jersey and Celebrating Women in Sports
Ahead of the NFL season kickoff on Sept. 5, Gatorade is collaborating with fashion designer Kristin Juszczyk on a capsule collection to celebrate inclusivity in the sport. The collection merges Gatorade’s nearly 60-year legacy of hydrating athletes since 1965 and the signature work of Juszczyk’s patchwork designs.
This collaboration features two capsules with all the athletic essentials. The Gatorade x Kristin Juszczyk bag capsule is complete with a custom duffel bag, Gatorade sideline towel and Gx water bottles and the Gatorade x Kristin Juszczyk bottle capsule features a custom Gx towel and Gx bottle.
More from WWD
Kith, Armani Partner on Four-part Collection Centered Around Men's Suits
Luar Partners With Amex for NYFW Ana Bag Collab With Three New Metallic Colors and Bag Charms
EXCLUSIVE: S.T. Dupont and Casablanca Team Up for Color-filled Capsule
“At Gatorade, we’re always looking to collaborate with partners who are reaching and inspiring the next generation,” said Brandi Ray, senior director of marketing at Gatorade. “Kristin is a trailblazer who has sparked a new wave of women’s engagement in football, so we knew we wanted to team up with her to celebrate the different ways women and girls are getting involved in the game.”
Juszczyk’s personal brand intersects the world of sports, fashion and culture — which is what she said the collection she worked on with Gatorade embodies. Since Gatorade believes in the importance of women having “equal access” and “opportunity to participate in sports,” Juszczyk told WWD that the capsule collection was a natural fit.
When thinking about creating her collection Juszczyk said Gatorade sideline towels are “iconic” and “nostalgic” pieces she knew she wanted to include. This, alongside the custom duffel bag as a “universal accessory” to showcase Juszczyk’s patchwork style, helped the collection take shape. The patchwork of Juszczyk’s designs in this collection used a variety of different fabrics and incorporated the brand’s “Is It In You?” tag line.
Juszczyk, the wife of San Francisco 49ers football player Kyle Juszczyk, has notably designed for Taylor Swift and Brittany Mahomes. Swift and Mahomes’ custom jackets went viral on social media when the duo wore Juszczyk’s looks to cheer on Travis Kelce and Patrick Mahomes at a Chiefs game last year. Notably, she signed a licensing deal with the NFL after her jacket’s designs were worn by the two women.
“Seeing [Swift and Mahomes] in my designs was such a pinch-me moment and I’m so thankful for where that has led me to today — including working with awesome brands like Gatorade,” Juszczyk told WWD. “I couldn’t have done it without either of those incredible women who are making their own names for themselves in the NFL world.”
Juszczyk has also designed for prominent women in sports such as Caitlin Clark, Simone Biles (whose husband plays for the Chicago Bears) and Olivia “Livvy” Dunne. “I’m so honored that these powerhouse women and athletes are wearing my clothes, it means so much to me. I love to see women in sports supporting each other,” said Juszczyk. “I hope I can continue creating special pieces for women shaping the game and encourage more to engage with the world of sports through my designs.
Today the worlds of sports and fashion intersect more than ever — especially given new interest in sports because of women’s interests in getting involved on and off the field in Formula 1, the WNBA, tennis, the Olympics and more. Juszczyk notes that fashion is the “perfect medium” to celebrate this passion and “reimagine what it means to be a fan these days.”
In alignment with Gatorade’s Equity in Sports initiative, Gatorade committed to investing $600,000 earlier this summer to give young athletes across the U.S. access to the sport — emphasizing its focus on women athletes in flag football. The investment into flag football includes donating a portion of proceeds from Dick’s Sporting Goods Gatorade items, up to $500,000 to the Dick’s Foundation’s Sports Matter program and providing grants to nearly a dozen flag football team organizations such as Fierce Beauties and Arizona Youth Flag.
The Gatorade x Kristin Juszczyk collection will be available exclusively on the Gatorade iD membership platform on gatorade.com on Sept. 12 at 10 a.m.
Best of WWD
What the Highest-paid CEOs at U.S. Fashion and Retail Companies Make
San Francisco Authorities Seize Nearly $2 Million in Suspected Stolen Merchandise
Sign up for WWD's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
