Jude Bellingham expands commercial profile with Calvin Klein and British Vogue

Jude Bellingham, 23, will line up for England against Spain on Sunday, but he has also made headlines off the pitch by starring in a Calvin Klein underwear campaign released this month and becoming the first footballer to feature solo on the cover of British Vogue.

The ad, which shows Bellingham in underwear and occasionally striking his trademark Christ the Redeemer pose, has been displayed on billboards in London and New York, prompting passers‑by to stop for selfies, while a billboard in Soho, New York, has further cemented his profile in the United States after the summer World Cup.

Mark Borkowski, a public‑relations consultant, says the footballer’s on‑field success is the core of his crossover appeal. “Bellingham is an exceptional sporting talent, and his brand value is understandably enormous,” he says. “But fashion doesn’t create that value, football does. Fashion merely provides another means of exploiting it.”

Launchmetrics reported that within 48 hours the Calvin Klein promotion generated $35.8m (£27m) in media impact value, and fashion platform Lyst said searches for Calvin Klein underwear rose 25% after the campaign was released.

Bellingham’s management team includes his mother Denise, a former HR executive who acts as his personal manager, and his 21‑year‑old brother Jobe, who joined the England squad for the first time this month, leading to speculation that the younger sibling may also pursue similar endorsements.

Daniel‑Yaw Miller of the SportsVerse newsletter likens Bellingham’s strategy to David Beckham’s. “It’s very intentional,” he says. “What [Bellingham is] doing is aimed at the higher tier of the market but at the same time, a big part of his personality is very relatable.” Miller adds, “It helps that he’s incredibly good‑looking.” The player also works with Adidas, Kim Kardashian’s Skims and Louis Vuitton.

Miller notes that other male footballers such as Bukayo Saka, Son Heung‑min, Kylian Mbappé and Declan Rice are also collaborating with fashion houses. “The earnings that they can get during their football career are obviously huge,” says Miller. “But what sets them up for life beyond that is being brands and businesses in their own right. It’s not only just a money thing. It’s about cementing a legacy and securing their profile in the game long term, commercially and culturally.”

Felicia Pennant, editor of Season magazine, argues that Bellingham’s approach feels transactional. “Beckham was the subject of art and he was the art rather than selling the art,” she says. “I think what Jude’s doing feels quite transactional … there’s nothing that directional about anything he’s done so far.” Borkowski warns, “Fame surrounds exceptional young athletes with people whose livelihoods depend on telling them how wonderful they are. That can become a very dangerous echo chamber,” he says. “The football makes the myth. The business can preserve it. But hubris can destroy both.”