Victor Cruz, who recently starred in ads for Givenchy and Kith and announced plans for a capsule collection with 3x1, continues to ramp up his involvement in the fashion industry. The New York Giants wide receiver is now serving as an ambassador for New York Fashion Week: Men's and he spoke with Esquire about the best dressed dudes in the NFL, his favorite brands and pieces, and his personal style evolution.
The NFL star shouts out several of his peers for their ability to dress, including Cam Newton, Colin Kaepernick, and Tom Brady. "He understands how to put a suit on," Cruz tells Esquire of the Patriots quarterback.
Cruz's favorite piece right now is his Balmain biker jacket, which he says is the best one money can buy. "I never want to buy another one again," he says. "I want my kids to wear this jacket." Balmain was conspicuously missing from the wideout's list of favorite brands, though, which he says are "Public School, Neil Barrett, Michael Bastian, Calvin Klein Collection, Kith, Ovadia & Sons, Givenchy, Alexander Wang, Raf Simons, and Rick Owens."
While Cruz admits he dressed completely different in high school—"oversized jerseys, hats, baggy jeans, Jordans, Nike, Polo, Rocawear," he says—he changed his style up as he got introduced to more brands and publications that cover style. His interest in the fashion world was really piqued by Calvin Klein, though. "I wanted to be more entrenched in the fashion world [after attending Klein's fashion show in Milan], not because it's the cool thing to do, but because I love clothes" he says.
Expect to see more of Cruz from fashion week as his role as ambassador means he'll be conducting interviews with brands and reporting on upcoming shows.
Read the full interview here.
