This article is part of the Vogue Business 100 Innovators: Class of 2025, an annual list of individuals Vogue Business editors believe have the potential to change the luxury industry for the better.
At Vogue World Paris, two sports stars caused a stir: Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow and Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson. The man behind their appearances was Kyle Smith, then an NFL employee working on marketing, social media and experiential projects. Very soon after, Smith helped carve the role that would be his promotion — to the NFL’s first-ever fashion editor. In the role, Smith helps push forward the NFL’s “helmets-off” strategy, a bid to better connect players to fans when the former is off the field. Smith does this by harnessing — and honing — players’ fashion.