4 minute read
FEATURE STORY
SHIRT & SHORTS: Reuben Oliver SHOES: Bottega Venetta NECKLACES: Greg Yuna, B&B Jewelers WATCH: Hublot BRACELETS: Cartier, David Yurman RINGS: Louis Vuitton, David Yurman
French brand and pioneer of luxury footwear, Pierre Hardy. Together, Cruz and Hardy dropped a new limited-edition men’s sneaker in four colorways that embody powerful stories that use art to make an impact.
“Pierre is one of the greatest human beings in the world,” says Cruz. “I have been visiting his showroom in Paris for many years, and after about three years, I mentioned to him that I wanted to collaborate, and he immediately loved the idea.” As Cruz does, he put his heart into this project, and you can see it in the final design.
Fashion has always been an integral part of Cruz’s life. “I think my relationship with fashion came from my dad,” he recalls. “I remember him coming to pick me up one time wearing a tan linen outfit with the shirt open and suspenders — and I remember thinking, even at the age of 11, this is an incredibly dope look.” For Cruz, his style is a blend of his dad’s and New Age style, and he does not shy away from trying different styles, patterns, or color palettes.
“I think fashion is always changing; it’s what you make of it, and there are no wrong answers. I always try and stay on the edge of my own personal style,” says Cruz.
Just a few days before our cover photoshoot, Cruz was in Paris at the Louis Vuitton Men’s Show, which marked the last collection designed by creative genius and industry changemaker Virgil Abloh. “Being there was a little bittersweet. You understand how much of a genius [Abloh] was and how he looked at the world with such a different scope, and for him to no longer be with us is just unfortunate and a devastating loss to the entire fashion world,” says Cruz. “But entering the show, there was a lot of energy — people understood and wanted to celebrate him. They wanted to be joyous in the moment.”
Cruz and Abloh embody the same sentiment: Life is meant to be celebrated. And, similar to Abloh, Cruz has used fashion as a mechanism to spark joy.
He has fully immersed himself in the fashion industry, becoming a style icon. He hints at wanting to start his own brand one day. But, for Cruz, knowledge is power — an important lesson we can all be reminded of. “I want to continue to collaborate with different brands and people in the industry to continue to learn. I want to learn what it is to make a brand or a capsule collection, and what the time and effort looks like.”
Cruz is undoubtedly someone who has an appetite for growth and learning new things. Perhaps what has set him apart is his unwavering dedication to evolve and always having a fearless attitude—and now, he gets to pass it on.
Cruz and his 10-year-old daughter Kennedy are the ultimate testaments to the popular phase “the apple does not fall far from the tree.” The two share the same joie de vivre, and when it comes to fashion, Cruz has become Kennedy’s go-to in the family for all things fashion-related. Just last year, Kennedy walked as a model in the first-ever American Girl fashion show in New York. “What I love about [Kennedy] is she is fearless. She does not have a shy bone in her body. She was so excited to be out there walking the runway — she has so much energy, and I love that,” explains Cruz. Sound familiar? “I want to continue to nurture that and hone in on that energy,” he says.
Being a girl dad is a reward like no other for Cruz. Though he grew up with two sisters, fathering a daughter is entirely different. Finding the balance between having a certain sense of sternness while also having a soft, empathetic side — and the power of patience — has taught Cruz who he is as a father.
“Whether [Kennedy] is crying, she is happy about something, or I need to teach her a life lesson, there is always something to learn and something to teach. That is where I am getting the most joy,” he reveals. “Being able to teach someone who looks like me, talks like me, and acts like me is the best part of being a girl dad.”
As a father, entrepreneur and television host, Cruz’s early football career has forever impacted his mindset. And while it has been a decade since he took the Super Bowl champion title, and nearly four years since he officially retired his jersey, he has certainly not stopped being a champion. Yet, there is one key element he’s never forgotten from the football field: preparation.
“[Preparation] is the biggest thing that people don’t see in the game of football unless you are in those locker room meetings with your teammates,” explains Cruz. “You have to be prepared each and every week with a high level of attention to detail for just one game. That’s something I take with me each and every day — whether it is a photo shoot or even being a dad preparing to leave the house: preparation is key.”
A page we can all take out of Cruz’s playbook of life.
