How a Maryland woman designed Donna Kelce’s viral Super Bowl outfit

To Blakely’s shock, Kelce responded inside minutes. 4 days later, Blakely despatched a jacket and sneakers containing an excellent mixture of Chiefs and Eagles colours to Kelce, who flaunted the outfit all week in Glendale, Ariz., and on State Farm Stadium’s subject.

“To see my stuff on these networks, it’s overwhelming. It’s wonderful. It’s unbelievable,” Blakely, 36, informed The Washington Submit. “I can’t discover the phrases to really describe the sensation as a result of there’s simply so many emotions combined collectively.”

After having her daughter, Ezra, in January 2013, Blakely was searching for work with a versatile schedule. As a baby, Blakely had cherished arts and crafts tasks, so she began a clothes and residential decor enterprise in December 2013 known as Ardour for Ezra.

Blakely rapidly included her lifelong ardour for the Nationwide Soccer League into her designs. From these early days, then within the basement of her mother and father’ Olney, Md., residence, Blakely designed wreaths that includes NFL groups’ colours and logos. Blakely, a Washington Commanders fan, organized her schedule round NFL video games and its draft. Over the subsequent nine-plus years, her enterprise grew by word-of-mouth suggestions, and Blakely opened places of work in Olney and Columbia, Md.

After watching the Chiefs and Eagles qualify for the Tremendous Bowl on Jan. 29, Blakely examine Kelce’s expertise elevating her NFL-bound sons. Blakely, who stated she’d do something to assist Ezra obtain her aim of changing into an actress, associated to Kelce’s affection for her kids.

“She’s the last word mother aim,” Blakely stated. “She’s doing the whole lot a mother who completely loves her youngsters would do. After I noticed that keenness behind it and that dedication to her youngsters, I used to be like, ‘I acquired to make this for her.’”

From her Columbia residence on Jan. 31, Blakely stated she messaged Kelce on 5 social media platforms with a proposal: “I’d like to make you one thing. I believe I’ve an thought of what can be excellent.”

Blakely didn’t count on a response, however when Kelce agreed minutes later, Blakely went to work. She wished the jacket to be symmetrical to mirror Kelce’s equal love for her sons. She minimize one purple and one black denim jacket in half and sewed them collectively.

She sketched and painted logos for each groups and the sons’ numbers — 62 for Jason and 87 for Travis. On the again of the jacket, Blakely sewed the letters “KELCE” throughout the highest, with the colours break up in the midst of the “L.” The “EAGLES” and “CHIEFS” names on the sleeves face one another to symbolize the groups’ Tremendous Bowl showdown.

Blakely additionally made two pairs of sneakers for Kelce, who wore the high-top sneakers on Sunday. The left shoe is grey and black, and options an Eagles emblem on the tongue and “62” on the toe field. The suitable shoe is purple and gold, with a Chiefs emblem on the tongue and “87” on the toe field.

Kelce informed Blakely she didn’t like glitter, however Blakely discovered one other manner for the footwear to shine. She inserted lights into the outsoles that flash on every step. The left shoe shows inexperienced lights; the best showcases purple lights. All informed, Blakely stated she labored on the outfit for about 30 hours.

Blakely stated she despatched the objects to Kelce’s agent on Feb. 4. She nervous Kelce wouldn’t like or put on them, however inside a day, Kelce obtained the bundle and expressed her appreciation, Blakely stated. Kelce showcased the jacket on ESPN on Tuesday and mentioned it in interviews final week with GQ and At present.

A photo of Kelce wearing the attire earlier than Sunday’s recreation went viral on Twitter, and he or she donned it whereas giving on-field interviews earlier than the sport. Blakely was so grateful to Kelce that she and her husband, Taylor, matched their Tremendous Bowl alliances with Kelce’s. Blakely supported the Chiefs; Taylor rooted for the Eagles.

Over time, Blakely has felt fulfilled by her clients’ reactions to their new garments and by alternatives to donate masks in the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic. However Kelce’s outfit gathering worldwide consideration gave Blakely much more validation. Blakely hopes the publicity will result in extra alternatives to design garments for NFL gamers and their households, which she stated is her dream job.

“It’s 10 years of laborious work,” Blakely stated. “… I began in my mother and father’ basement, and now I’ve stuff within the Tremendous Bowl.”