Jude Bellingham, the 23-year-old England footballer, has recently gained attention beyond the football pitch. This month, he featured in a Calvin Klein underwear advertisement and became the first footballer to appear solo on the cover of British Vogue.
The Calvin Klein campaign, featuring Bellingham, has reportedly generated significant media impact. According to fashion data firm Launchmetrics, the campaign produced an estimated $35.8m (£27m) in media impact value within 48 hours. The fashion platform Lyst also reports a 25% increase in searches for Calvin Klein underwear since the campaign's release.
Bellingham's off-pitch activities are seen by some as a strategic move to build his brand, drawing comparisons to David Beckham. Public relations consultant Mark Borkowski noted that while football creates Bellingham's brand value, fashion provides another way to leverage it. Bellingham's management team, which includes his mother, Denise, has also strategically partnered with brands such as Adidas, Kim Kardashian’s underwear brand Skims, and Louis Vuitton.