Kristin Juszczyk, wife of San Francisco 49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk, recalls the moment that sparked the idea for Off Season. “I was sitting in a cold stadium, surrounded by fans—mostly men—wearing oversized puffer jackets with their jerseys over them. That’s when I realized: they’re cold, but they’ll do anything to show support for their favorite players.” This “ah-hah” moment, though simple, would eventually lead to the launch of a new sports apparel brand that combines fashion and fandom.
In partnership with serial entrepreneur Emma Grede, Juszczyk will debut Off Season on January 7—a collection of elevated sports apparel designed for passionate fans. The collaboration, which includes a licensing agreement with the NFL Players Association, will feature unisex puffer jackets representing five NFL teams: the San Francisco 49ers, Kansas City Chiefs, Philadelphia Eagles, Detroit Lions, and Buffalo Bills. Off Season’s inception stems from the DIY designs Juszczyk began creating for herself—designs that quickly gained a large following.
Juszczyk, who has been married to Kyle for five years, began attending football games with him in 2014. “I got tired of wearing the same three shirts,” she explains. Her frustration with the lack of stylish options inspired her to start reworking Kyle’s old jerseys into unique fashion pieces, such as corsets with his number (44) or bomber jackets made from his high school jersey. Juszczyk, who holds a business degree from Towson University, has no formal fashion training but learned through YouTube tutorials. Her first project was a pair of sweatpants made from T-shirts bearing Kyle’s nickname, “100% Juice.” “Looking back, I cringe a little, but at the time, I was so proud,” she says. She’s since moved on to more complex pieces, including cargo shorts and snowsuits, and rarely repeats a look.
Juszczyk’s creative process, along with her wardrobe transformations, became a hit on Instagram and TikTok. She began reaching out to influencers and people with large followings to share her designs, convinced that there was a demand for stylish, elevated fan gear. One of her breakthrough moments came when Taylor Swift wore a custom red puffer jacket featuring the Kansas City Chiefs’ Travis Kelce’s number, 87. Olympic gymnast Simone Biles also wore a custom puffer vest designed by Juszczyk in support of her husband, Jonathan Owens, who at the time played for the Green Bay Packers. Juszczyk’s designs have also been worn by Taylor Lautner, Brittany Mahomes, and Kyle’s teammate Deebo Samuel Sr., contributing to her rise in popularity.
Grede, who co-founded Good American with Khloe Kardashian and is also a founding partner of SKIMS, was immediately drawn to Juszczyk’s creative vision. “I immediately thought about the Taylor Swift jacket moment,” Grede recalls. As someone who specializes in identifying underserved markets, Grede saw an “unbelievable opportunity” in Juszczyk’s designs. Together, they built a team to help scale Juszczyk’s creations into a full-fledged business, securing licenses from the NFL in the process.
Juszczyk’s Instagram has effectively served as a platform for testing new designs, allowing her to gauge demand and learn which styles resonate with her audience. “I know what the demand is for certain designs and where there’s a lack of options,” she notes. Her main focus has always been quality, reflected in the pricing of her designs: vests start at $295, jackets at $375, and long coats at $495. Grede notes, “For years, fan gear has been low-quality and basic, but now there’s a cultural shift. Fans want gear that reflects their lifestyle and style outside the game.”
The rise of sports culture as a fashion statement has made the timing perfect for Off Season’s debut. In recent years, athletes like Bella Hadid, Beyoncé, and Rihanna have been spotted in sports jerseys, while brands like Adidas have collaborated with luxury labels like Gucci. Last year, race car driver Lewis Hamilton attended the Dior Homme show, and Prada dressed Indiana Fever point guard Caitlin Clark. The lines between sports and fashion have blurred, with athletes using their wardrobes as a form of self-expression.
Grede believes the current moment offers a unique opportunity to cater to women’s sports fans. “Women’s sports are bigger than ever, and athletes like Coco Gauff and Ilona Maher have cemented their role in sports,” Grede says. “This is the perfect time for women to succeed in sports merchandising, licensing, and building businesses in the space. If we had launched this company a few years ago, we wouldn’t have gotten such a strong reception.”
For Juszczyk, the goal is to create apparel that unites fans of all teams, not just her own. “When you go to an NFL game, about 85 to 90 percent of the people are wearing something to represent their team,” she says. “It’s about unity, and I wanted to create something for everyone who lives and breathes their team.” While the puffers are just the beginning, Juszczyk and Grede plan to expand the collection to include more products that cater to sports fans’ fashion needs.
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