Kristin Juszczyk Says She ‘Didn’t Blink Twice’ When Asked to Design Surprise Vest for Caitlin Clark (Exclusive)

With the 2023-2024 NFL season in the books, Kristin Juszczyk, who went viral for the custom game-day kits she created for Taylor Swift and many other stars, is shifting her focus to a new arena: basketball.

At the top of her to-do list? He makes one of his signature puffer vests for college basketball player Caitlin Clark.

This season, Clark made history as the all-time leading scorer in NCAA women’s basketball and surpassed Taylor Pierce’s single-season three-point record when she hit her 155th on Wednesday, according to CNN.

The phenom recently declared for the WNBA draft. She also recently signed on with the insurance company State Farm as a spokeswoman.

In an exclusive interview with PEOPLE, Juszczyk (who is the wife of San Francisco 49ers player Kyle Juszczyk) talks about how she teamed up with State Farm to create an item that surprised the University of Iowa guard, 22, during her college’s Senior Day on March 3 .

Taylor Swift dressed in a puffer coat from ’87. to cheer on Travis Kelce at the Frigid Chiefs-Dolphins game: check out her stylish outfit!

L: Caitlin Clark; R: Vest designed by Kristin Juszczyk.

Maddie Meyer/Getty; Marketing branch

“She’s the first collegiate athlete they’ve ever signed, female or male, and it’s so amazing that they’re uplifting women in sports,” Juszczyk, 30, says with a smile during a Zoom interview, continuing, “So when they came to me with this opportunity, I didn’t blink twice, of course. She’s just amazing selling out these arenas and breaking all these records.”

Juszczyk adds, “I wanted to be able to make a special piece for her to show her how much the fans love her, how much Iowa loves her and what a pioneer she is. I think there’s just no better time than to honor women, and women in sports.”

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

For the piece, Juszczyk matched both the athlete’s black and white jersey. She also included the words “NCAA Women’s Scoring Leader” and “All-Time Iowa Leader in: Points, Assists, 3PM and FGM” on the jacket. The vest also features the State Farm logo and a red zipper insignia of the insurance company.

On Senior Day, which featured a game against Ohio State, State Farm’s Jake (whose real name is Kevin Miles) will wear an identical vest, also created by Juszczyk.

“She [didn’t] I know she gets it,” Juszczyk says of the surprise design. “This is something I’ve been working on with State Farm. I have a whole design process, so I sketched out different ideas. I’m really excited for her to see it. I hope she likes it, and I hope Jake likes it.”

Vest designed by Kristin Juszczyk.

Marketing branch

Juszczyk says he is working on more custom creations, including a piece for Ayesha Curry, wife of Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry. “I love dressing all these amazing people. It’s an opportunity I really never thought I’d have,” she says, adding, “but my main focus and my main goal has always been to be able to dress these fans. That’s all I’ve ever wanted. And we are motivated and involved to try to start something.”

Kristin Juszczyk, who made Taylor Swift’s Viral Chiefs jacket, shows off her injured fingers from sewing ahead of the Super Bowl

Juszczyk has created custom 49ers gear for herself for years to wear to her husband’s games, but took her passion to the next level during the 2023-24 NFL season. when she launched her brand Designs By Kristin.

On her website’s About page, Juszczyk writes that she rediscovered her love of sewing after making Halloween costumes for her and Kyle, which then led her to create her own NFL gear by “upcycling old t-shirts, jerseys, even soccer balls in new designs.”

L: Kristin Juszczyk; R: Vest designed by Kristin Juszczy.

Kristin Juszczyk/Instagram; Marketing branch

When Juszczyk started showing off her designs on Instagram, it wasn’t long before other NFL wives and girlfriends — including Swift, Simone Biles and Brittany Mahomes — took notice.

In December 2023, Biles wore one of her designs while supporting her husband Jonathan Owens, and a month later, Juszczyk dressed Swift and Mahomes in matching Chiefs jackets.

She is now an official licensee of the NFL, allowing her to legally use the league’s logo on her designs. In February, Juszczyk revealed to PEOPLE what a special momentum her fashion career is after hearing “no” for a long time.

“I’ve been at this for a few years now and I’ve been told ‘no’ many times or that we just don’t have the space for it,” she said. “This is something I’ve been so passionate about. I feel like there’s a big gap in the market, and I know I have so many designs that I know women want. It’s just a matter of being able to market it.”

Categories: Trends
Source: HIS Education