When you look good, you feel good and play good. For San Francisco 49ers defensive lineman Charles Omenihu, his confidence is drawn from his style.
"I always like to be 'that guy' and look good, it's a little bit of an ego thing too," Omenihu said. "I like the feeling of when I put something on and I look really good."
Omenihu started experimenting with fashion in 2019, his rookie year in the league. At the time, the defensive lineman played for the Houston Texans, where he recorded 13 total tackles and 3.0 sacks. Omenihu was later traded to the 49ers in November of 2021, and not only did his play elevate, but his style did also.
"My first couple years in the league, I was nervous to step out of the box and wear some things. Now, I'm more open to wearing things I wouldn't have before. I've actually had a few stylists hit me up and let me know that they like my style."
Omenihu also mentioned that a few famous stylists have reached out to work with him on his gameday arrival outfits. However, he takes pride in creating his own looks.
"I'll send people my ideas and they'll source some items for me or we might collaborate on an outfit, but most of the thought process comes from me."
Omenihu's fashion is inspired by iconic DJ and producer, Mustard. He also takes inspiration from the styles of Los Angeles and New York City. The defensive lineman describes his personal style as "southern with a mix of colors."
"It's really about being free with colors. Not everything might match, but it'll correlate and mix together."
And the accolades for this efforts have begun to roll in.
Omenihu's gameday outfit ahead of the 49ers vs. Carolina Panthers matchup was featured as the Checkdown's Week 5 fit of the week. In that game, Omenihu notched 1.0 sack and two QB hits on Panthers quarterback Baker Mayfield and a tackle for loss, earning him a top-five Pro Football Focus pass rush grade of 71.2.
"Charles does the most as far as range, I've seen him pull out some crazy pieces, some I'm very jealous of," linebacker Curtis Robinson said on the 49ers You've Got Mail podcast. "I think it's cool how players have integrated fashion into their pregame and gameday routine. Some of the looks I know I can't pull off, but I like when they go extra on gamedays."
Omenihu's goals in fashion stretch far beyond gameday arrival outfits. In fact, he hopes to one day be a part of Paris Fashion Week.
"I really want to go overseas, because that's really where the drip is at. America is just second when it comes to fashion."
Because his style is so bright and versatile, you can never know what to expect from Omenihu's next Instagram-worthy outfit. The defensive lineman enjoys pushing the boundaries on his style and experimenting with different types of fashion.
Although he likes to keep his fans and followers on their toes, he gave a sneak peak into his next look.
"The outfits I put on just allows me to express myself. I will have Nigerian attire soon, after the Bye Week."
