Philly Leader

Sporting a simple pressed white T-shirt and black Houston Astros hat, wide receiver DeVonta Smith signed a three-year contract extension at the NovaCare Complex on Tuesday afternoon. Known for his distinctive gameday fashion, Smith often opts for suits to express himself.

"That's the way I express myself," Smith explained. "I go about my business, so putting a suit on makes you feel like you're doing something very important; you're going to handle some business."

Smith's passion for fashion began at Amite High School in Louisiana, where he and his teammates wore shirts and ties to every game. While many disliked this rule, Smith embraced it. This tradition continued at the University of Alabama under former Head Coach Nick Saban's policy requiring players to wear suits on gamedays.

The 25-year-old has worked with clothing stylist Brian Lunsford since college. Lunsford launched his custom suiting company in Washington, D.C., in 2016 and was introduced to Smith by Holmon Wiggins, Smith's college wide receiver coach.

"We have similar body types, so he knew exactly how I wanted the suits to fit and stuff like that," said Smith in an interview with GQ Sports. "He just made it easy for me. I trusted him from the beginning. If Coach (Wiggins) is rocking with you then I know I'm good!"

Smith takes pride in being well-dressed among his Eagles teammates but acknowledges quarterback Jalen Hurts as a close contender. Both had adhered to Saban's dress code during their time at Alabama.

"He likes wearing suits and things like that," Smith noted about Hurts. "He is about his business. That's the excitement about wearing suits. It has stuck with us since college."

Smith mentioned that others in the locker room have improved their fashion sense after observing him.

Regarding his outfit choices for gameday, Smith said: "It depends on how I'm feeling... If it's a Monday night game or a primetime game, I'm probably going to have a suit on."

Smith enjoys seeking inspiration from social media but often creates unique looks himself. Even before signing his contract extension, he planned to enhance his wardrobe for the upcoming season.

"You are going to see that regardless," he assured.