Abercrombie & Fitch named NFL fashion partner

US retailer Abercrombie & Fitch has been named as the official fashion partner of the National Football League (NFL). The multi-year agreement will see the brand carry out athlete-led campaigns and offer a series of player-designed apparel to build on its lifestyle assortment.

In a release, Abercrombie said it intended to “blur the line between outfits worn during game day arrivals and everyday wear for both female and male fans, as well as players”. The brand will also headline NFL tentpole events, including at select international games and within global retail.

It comes as part of the NFL’s efforts to grow its fan base, particularly among a female audience, which now make up almost half of the league’s fans. As such, both men’s and women’s apparel, including hoodies, sweatshirts and t-shirts representing all 32 NFL teams, has been launched in select Abercrombie stores and via the brand’s e-commerce site.

In a statement, Tracie Rodburg, SVP of global partnerships at the NFL, said the league was reinforcing its “position as a growing leader in the fashion community” through the partnership, “creating deeper connections with our fans at the convergence of fandom and fashion”.

For Abercrombie, which already has a longstanding relationship with the NFL and its athletes, this latest partnership “goes beyond licensing”, the brand’s CEO, Fran Horowitz, said. “It is about meeting the needs of an expanding audience,” she added. “Together, the NFL and Abercrombie are helping to build fandom through fashion.”

In addition to catering to fans, Abercrombie will also launch a style concierge for select NFL athletes, through which the brand will provide curated outfitting from in-house stylists. ‘Style Concierge’ is aptly also the name for Abercrombie’s national seasonal campaign, featuring players known for their personal style and further reflecting the brand’s investment in the sports space.