On the heels of breaking the internet with Taylor Swift by dropping their engagement news, Travis Kelce has another surprise announcement up his sleeve this week — and this one has been in the works for more than a year.
The Kansas City Chiefs star and Super Bowl champion has teamed with American Eagle for a limited-edition collaboration for his sportswear and lifestyle brand Tru Kolors. Dubbed AE x Tru Kolors by Travis Kelce, the collection launches today, Aug. 27, with another drop scheduled for Sept. 24. The line features more than 90 pieces priced between $14.95 and $179.95, and is said to reflect Kelce’s “unique style, delivering an elevated take on everyday essentials and transforming classic silhouettes into bold statements of confidence and individuality.”
Much like his fiancé, Kelce is known to be deep in the details of his business deals and that’s true here as he served as creative director of AE x Tru Kolors by Travis Kelce. Along with his team, Kelce was “involved in every step of the process” including design inspiration to fabric, color palette, sample selection and graphic creation choices, per American Eagle. The sports and lifestyle-inspired output includes heavyweight, vintage-inspired t-shirts, “reimagined” varsity jackets, cricket sweaters, rugby polos, utility cargos, soft chenille pieces, cashmere sets and bespoke graphics.
“I’ve had to keep my excitement about this collab under wraps for nearly a year. It was an awesome opportunity to team up with an established brand where both sides were excited to truly collaborate on every decision in the design and creative process that brought the ‘AE x TK’ collection to life,” said Kelce in a statement. “I started Tru Kolors in 2019 on the foundation of showing up authentically and having fun with style, and we wanted this collab to reflect that same energy. I want everyone to feel like there is something for them in the collection, something they can feel good in and make their own.”
To launch the line, American Eagle rolled out a new campaign, “Live to Play,” which casts the New Heights podcast host alongside fellow athletes like tennis star Anna Frey, basketball guard Azzi Fudd, quarterback Drew Allar, wide receiver Jeremiah Smith, basketball prospect Kiyan Anthony and Olympic gold medalist Suni Lee.
“American Eagle and Travis Kelce were destined to collaborate. An iconic brand teaming up with one of the greatest athletes of our generation – that’s what I call a win,” offered American Eagle president and executive creative director Jennifer Foyle. “AE and Tru Kolors are rooted in optimism, self expression and confidence–and we share a passion for empowering everyone to feel like their true self when wearing our products. Travis’ infectious energy and dedication to every aspect of the collaboration brought a refreshing spirit to the team, inspiring us to explore bespoke fabrics and fits to showcase this collection through his distinct style and perspective.”
The collection will get a boost from American Eagle through placements across social media platforms in addition to out-of-home placements including in and around Kansas City, home to Kelce’s Chiefs, and through a partnership with The Ringer podcast, among other offerings. News of Kelce’s collaboration comes hot on the heels of AE’s “Sydney Sweeney Has Great Jeans” campaign with Sydney Sweeney, another collab that, ahem, broke the internet.
Kelce, center, in the “Live to Play” campaign with Anna Frey, Azzi Fudd, Drew Allar, Jeremiah Smith, Kiyan Anthony and Suni Lee.
Courtesy of American Eagle