Score a high-end ‘Kingdom Coat’ in time for KC’s love story with the Chiefs; popup sews in fashion designer’s own lifelong fandom

Kansas City fashion designer Christian Michael Shuster’s latest collection is skipping the runway and hitting the gridiron, he shared.

The lead designer and president of the christianMICHAEL fashion label — known for his outerwear and signature diamond-quilted fabric — has kicked off his “Kingdom Coats” collection just in time for the NFL playoffs and the Kansas City Chiefs attempt at a third straight Super Bowl victory. 

“Everybody tells me, ‘Everyone has a Chiefs hat; everyone has a Chiefs T-shirt; everyone has a Chiefs jersey,’” Shuster explained. “But something like one of these jackets — that’s hyper unique; that’s original; that’s more high end — fills a real void in what’s available for NFL and Chiefs fans.”

“Love or hate Taylor (Swift) for whatever she is, she’s brought a new audience to the NFL and the Kansas City Chiefs,” he added. “It’s an audience with a bit of an eye for fashion that wasn’t maybe there in the past.”

Fans can find the collection of Kingdom Coats at Shuster’s month-long popup shop at 112 N. Liberty St. in downtown Independence. The popup ends Feb. 5, just four days before the Super Bowl.

“It’s already nerve wracking being a Kansas City Chiefs fan,” Shuster said. “But now it’s even more nerve wracking for me, because I am really kind of banking on the fact that they go far into the playoffs and maybe even make the Super Bowl.”

“I was born and raised in Kansas City,” he added. “I’ve lived here all my life. I played high school and college football, so it’s in my blood. I’ve been a lifelong Kansas City fan of every sport, so it’s awesome to be able to design something around a team that I have followed, loved, and been a fan of all of my life.”

The “home red” Kingdom Coats design by christianMICHAEL, Christian Micheal Shuster; photo by Taylor Wilmore, Startland News

Shuster — who founded Runway Review KC — first had the idea for the coats after seeing pop star Swift wear a puffer jacket made from repurposed NFL team gear by fashion designer Kristin Juszczyk on national TV during the playoffs in 2024; an appearance that made headlines and waves on social media.

(Juszczyk, who also is married to San Francisco 49ers star Kyle Juszczyk, just launched a collaboration fueled by the league and Fanatics apparel. The debut collection from their “Off Season” brand is expected to feature items representing five NFL teams: the 49ers, Chiefs, Philadelphia Eagles, Detroit Lions and Buffalo Bills.)

“I — being the designer I am — immediately thought to myself, I can do something better than that, not to discredit anyone for their art in any way, shape, or form,” Shuster explained. “I was like, ‘I can come up with my own design from scratch.’ I’m known for my coats and my outerwear.”

So he sketched up a design, but not without first meeting with his lawyer, he shared.

“I’m not trying to get into a legal battle with the Kansas City Chiefs,” Shuster said. “I did look into the idea of getting licensing for NFL products and it’s $150,000 minimum. I wasn’t ready to put that on a debit card right now. So I looked at everything that the Chiefs had copyrighted, and what was licensed and what I couldn’t do, and mocked up my design.”

The “special black” Kingdom Coats design by christianMICHAEL, Christian Micheal Shuster; photo by Taylor Wilmore, Startland News

Threading the needle

The Kingdom Coats — “The Chiefs have ‘Chiefs Kingdom’ licensed but not just the word ‘kingdom,’” Shuster noted — come in “home red,” “road white,” or “special black” in his signature diamond-quilted fabric.

“It’s what I’ve kind of become known for,” he explained. “I have a lot of people that will come up to me and say, ‘I see a coat like that and I immediately know it’s yours.’ I really think — as a fashion designer — that’s one of the greatest compliments anybody can give you.”

Christian Micheal Shuster sews a Kingdom Coats piece inside his Independence Square popup; photo by Taylor Wilmore, Startland News

The coats (and a red vest) can be customized with either “kingdom” across the back or the customer’s name and a number of their choice, he noted.

“I put hoods on all the jackets and I line the hood with a gray or a silver faux fur to mimic Kansas City Wolf,” he added.

Shuster released the coats last year right before the playoffs and sold eight when the Chiefs won their game, he said. After the Chiefs Super Bowl run, he’d sold 18 coats in 20 days.

“I really went into last year with no prep, no R and D,” Shuster continued. “It was a brand new pattern from scratch. I was really just blown away by the response of everybody.”

From the archives: Designer brings ‘specific’ eye, new runway show to KC fashion scene

So this year he decided to bring the collection back and offer the coats at a popup on the Independence Square — not far from where he lives and a spot that has gotten a lot of buzz after the Hallmark Channel filmed much of it’s movie “Holiday Touchdown: A Chiefs Love Story” in and around the square. 

“There’s a lot happening down here,” Shuster said. “The square has really evolved and changed. There’s a lot of new businesses. The foot traffic down here is really busy.”

The designer set up his sewing machine and mannequins right in front of the window, he noted, and sees 10 to 15 people stop in every day just to see what he’s up to.

“Nobody in this day and age knows how to sew,” Shuster explained. “It’s become such a commodity that I get people that come into the store just to see and and watch and be curious about the fact that I’m actually sewing and making a product.”

Although he’s already sold quite a few of the coats this year, Shuster knows they aren’t inexpensive ($650 and $400 for the vest) and most people can’t just buy one on a whim, he shared. But he also knows what happens to Kansas City when the playoffs hit.

“Everything on the news, everything on your radio, everything on your cell phone, everything on social media is ‘Chiefs, Chiefs, Chiefs,’” he continued. “The fervor and excitement that goes behind the playoffs — and hopefully them winning a game — just builds, builds and builds. And that’s really what I’m banking on.”

Of course, Shuster would also love to get one of his coats to the Chiefs most famous fan.

“I’m trying to exhaust every option and possible connection I have in my black book to try and try and get one of my coats on Taylor (Swift) for that first home game,” he added. “If I could get one on Taylor, we could all retire and I’ll take us all to Tahiti.”

Christian Micheal Shuster stands at the door of his Independence Square popup for Kingdom Coats; photo by Taylor Wilmore, Startland News

Design beyond the label

While Shuster is hoping to be furiously sewing Kingdom Coats well into February, he also has other big plans for 2025, he shared. He’s organizing another Runway Review later in the year, possibly at the new KC Wheel near I-35 and Union Station.

Kingdom Coats designs by christianMICHAEL, Christian Micheal Shuster; photo by Taylor Wilmore, Startland News

“I change the venue every year to something hyper unique and never done before in the past,” he said, noting past locations like the pitch at Children’s Mercy Park and the aquarium at the KC Zoo.

Shuster also is pursuing his career as a film costume designer, he noted, having just finished his first SAG-accredited feature film that will be released sometime this spring.

“I’m actively looking for my next film project,” he continued. “I’ve made a lot of really, really great connections and have got some really exciting appointments in the next couple of weeks with the director of programming for Hulu and Disney and a few other folks that I’m really, really excited about.”

Shuster also teased holding onto his popup shop space for his full fashion label.

“I’m really enjoying and loving the space in here,” he explained. “I’m spending probably 10 or 12 hours a day in here sewing, but it’s more motivating than I could say to get up and go into an actual retail shop, into a working space studio. And at the end of the day, if you do what you love, you’ll never work a day in your life.”