Is the NFL Super Bowl evolving into a fashion week?

The National Football League’s annual Super Bowl is no longer just a championship football game; its upcoming showdown between the Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots in San Francisco sees the NFL deepening its ties to fashion with a series of fashion shows, designer collaborations, and retail activations.

Highlights include American designer Thom Browne, who has become known for his tailored sportswear, trading New York Fashion Week for a spot at the GQ Bowl, NFL’s first official fashion partner Abercrombie & Fitch is hosting a fashion presentation on the eve of the Super Bowl LX, and denim brand Levi’s is celebrating its hometown with immersive pop-ups and sustainability workshops leading up to the game at the Levi’s Stadium. Marketplace giant Ebay will also be bringing the fashion off-the-field with a cultural clubhouse and live content studio experience where enthusiasts can shop rare, authenticated, pre-loved fashion from trusted Ebay sellers in real time.

Thom Browne to unveil AW26 at GQ Bowl

Last year, Conde Nast’s men’s magazine GQ hosted the inaugural GQ Bowl fashion event in New Orleans in the run-up to the Super Bowl, fusing fashion and sport. It featured a catwalk showcase from American designer Emily Adams Bode Aujla, who debuted the Bode Rec. collection, which drew inspiration from her father’s football past and the festive spirit of the Big Easy. The event even saw NFL players, including Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase, and CeeDee Lamb, walk the catwalk.

This year, Thom Browne will be hosting the GQ Bowl alongside GQ global editorial director Will Welch, marking the New York-based designer’s first catwalk show in the Bay Area. He will present his men’s and women’s autumn/winter 2026 collections at the Legion of Honor Museum on February 6, bringing together the worlds of football and luxury fashion.

The move follows the designer celebrating his 2025 football capsule collection in September, featuring his first-ever athletic jersey, with a game of touch football with GQ during New York Fashion Week.

Levi’s ‘Home Turf’ immersive pop-up experience

San Francisco-based Levi’s is utilising the Super Bowl location this year to host an immersive pop-up experience across the city from February 5 to 7, celebrating the Bay Area’s culture, style, and community with product collaborations, live music, sustainability workshops, and retail pop-ups.

Michelle Gass, president and chief executive officer of Levi Strauss & Co, said in a statement: “This moment is about more than a game; it’s a cultural cornerstone that brings people together. San Francisco is our hometown, and we’re proud to celebrate one of the biggest sports stages right here, where music, fashion, and sports intersect in such a unique way.

“This global moment gives us the chance to remind the world why San Francisco has always been a hub of creativity and self-expression and why those values are at the heart of everything we do.”

The series of fan-first experiences centres around Levi’s strategy of being brand-led and pivoting into a direct-to-consumer first retailer. This includes a multi-day pop-up at 1 Montgomery in San Francisco’s financial district with San Francisco-based record label Empire, including product collaborations, such as the brand’s exclusive sneaker and apparel partnership with the Jordan Brand and a Starter collaboration featuring NFL team jackets.

Other activations will include music performances from the likes of local rapper LaRussell, customisation and sustainability workshops, including a panel event featuring Kristin Juszczyk, designer and co-founder of Off Season, Jason Mayden, chief design and visioneering officer at Jordan Brand, and Paul Dillinger, head of global design innovation at Levi Strauss & Co.

In addition, Levi’s stores in the Bay Area will be transformed into “cultural hubs” with host appearances by prominent local partners like E-40, 49er players, and other influential athletes and musicians, to create “special moments for fans” and reinforce the brand's connection to local communities. There will also be exclusive E-40 graphic tees for purchase as part of the Levi’s brand’s broader collection of artist tees and limited-edition Levi’s Home Turf trading cards.

Kenny Mitchell, chief marketing officer at Levi Strauss & Co, added: “Few brands can authentically play across so many facets of culture, including sports, in the way Levi’s consistently does.

“As a brand that continues to live at the centre of culture, we’re honoured to hold the naming rights to Levi’s® Stadium, a global stage on our ‘home turf’ that connects generations of fans through the unifying and positive power of sport, music and creativity.”

Abercrombie & Fitch to “star-studded” fashion presentation

Retailer Abercrombie & Fitch will be hosting a week-long series of activations in the San Francisco Bay Area in the run-up to the Super Bowl, culminating in a fashion presentation, as part of its deal with the NFL as its official fashion partner.

The invite-only fashion showcase will take place on February 7, the eve of Super Bowl LX, and will see Abercrombie showcasing its current collection along with key NFL licensed products. The presentation will bring together celebrities, influencers, and athletes for a showcase featuring a series of vignettes inspired by Abercrombie’s 134-year-old archives and its rich history with American sports.

Tracie Rodburg, senior vice president of global partnership at the NFL, said: “Abercrombie & Fitch brings a modern, authentic, and fashion-focused point of view that resonates with fans, and their Super Bowl LX activation reflects the evolution of how the NFL celebrates our biggest moment.

“Together, we’re creating experiences that celebrate the energy of the Super Bowl while expanding how fans engage with the NFL through style.”

In addition to the presentation, Abercrombie will also be offering new Super Bowl styles, including hoodies, tees, and jackets for the whole family, ranging from 45 to 150 US dollars, at the Abercrombie store experience within the NFL Shop Presented by Visa, located at the Super Bowl Experience Presented by Jersey Mike’s at the Moscone Center in San Francisco.

The retailer will also be gifting players and coaches selected to participate in the Pro Bowl Games with exclusive, custom bomber jackets.

Carey Collins Krug, chief marketing officer at Abercrombie & Fitch Co., said: “Abercrombie is bringing fashion into the centre of the biggest moment in sports and culture, through a series of style-forward moments designed to celebrate our incredible partnership with the NFL.

“The intersection of fashion and fandom is natural for our customer, and this activation reflects how those worlds come together.”

Ebay to spotlight pre-loved style at the Super Bowl

Alongside the football this year, Ebay is hosting an omnichannel celebration called the ‘Ebay End Zone,’ featuring a pop-up experience in San Francisco's Union Square, real-time livestream shopping, and a community watch party finale.

The ‘Ebay End Zone’ is being described as an immersive cultural clubhouse and live content studio, spotlighting authenticated pre-loved fashion and watches, and vintage NFL finds, as well as curated collectables, from trading cards to vintage football gear, and unique items designed by local artist Jeremy Fish.

The pop-up will also feature appearances from former Patriot Rob Gronkowski and current 49er Christian McCaffrey.

Emily O’Hara, global head of brand and media at Ebay, said: “For three decades, Ebay has connected fans to the moments that define the big game, offering one of the most expansive selections of authentic inventory across teams, athletes, and styles.

“This year, eBay is bringing 60 years of football fandom and culture to life in a way no other platform can, offering unique live shopping experiences, the thrill of big wins, and unmatched selection, whether fans are on the ground at the game or watching from home across the country.”