When Emily Bordner was completing her Master of Business Administration at Rockhurst University in 2014, she was already inventing her approach to EB and Co., local accessory brand and fashion boutique named after the visionary herself. While she could see an image of success amidst her creativity, what she was not prepared for was how the “Taylor Swift Effect” would elevate her future business and the lasting impact she would have on the entire Kansas City area.
Bordner’s company initially started as a side business making leather handbags and goods, which quickly transitioned to online sales, pop up shops and selling products at local stores, such as the Made in KC Marketplace. She opened her first official storefront in Brookside in 2019. Now, with four locations across Kansas City, along with a booming online presence, the Rockhurst alumni’s vision of her brand has come to life.
EB and Co. offers a variety of products and fashion accessories, and they are all modern, chic and reflect Bordner’s personal style. She describes her materials as “following the trends and what people want.”
While the business has experienced success upon opening, one of their most well-known lines of accessories, their Kansas City collection, is what set EB and Co. over the edge with record-breaking sales and a greater influence across the United States. The collection includes earrings, handbags, hairpieces, pins and numerous other accessories perfect for a Chiefs gameday or any outing in Kansas City.
On Jan. 28, Taylor Swift attended the AFC Championship game in Baltimore to support the Chiefs, specifically her boyfriend Travis Kelce. Fans of both the Chiefs and Swift watched across the nation as Kansas City brought home a win, and when the couple embraced after the game, viewers were quick to notice the ring she was wearing. She was sporting an EB and Co. staple, a ring shaped like a football jersey with 87, Travis Kelce’s number, emblazoned on it.
Bordner was at home celebrating the victory when she received a text from her manager saying, “Hey, I think Taylor is wearing our ring.” She was completely shocked and extremely excited to see Swift representing EB and Co., and within minutes, the “Taylor Swift Effect” kicked in. The Taylor Swift Effect is essentially that because of the popstar’s tremendous following and fanbase, anything she uses or touches then too becomes viral.
EB and Co.’s entire online storefront quickly sold out of all the Travis Kelce jersey rings and earrings, among many other accessories from the Kansas City collection. Business was crazier than the small business had ever seen before.
“They pretty much bought the whole store. We were sold out of so much stuff and we were so behind,” said Bordner.
The company chose to close for a couple days after the AFC Championship in attempt to catch up with online orders, but in the two weeks following the Super Bowl, the store traffic was incredible and “pure chaos” as Bordner describes. Business continued as the Chiefs went on to win the Super Bowl in February as fans looked to wear jewelry similar to Swift. EB and Co. reported they were still trying to catch up on orders in late March.
“Nothing prepares you for something like this,” Bordner said.
The EB and Co. staff theory is that Donna Kelce, mother of Travis Kelce, gifted the ring to Swift. In November of 2023, Donna Kelce tried to buy Chiefs accessories online from the company, but the online storefront was sold out at the time of what she wanted, so they sent her a pair of earrings, which she then wore to the Chiefs game in Germany on Nov. 5. After seeing Travis’ mother repping these earrings multiple times, EB and Co. continued sending her Chiefs jewelry, including the ring the Swift wore.
Despite the chaos dying down a bit as the Super Bowl has passed, business continues to boom for Bordner. The commotion Swift generated around the ring has brought many customers back purchasing more EB and Co. accessories.
As Rockhurst’s motto states, the university is “where leaders learn.” Border has certainly fulfilled that mission of being a leader. The Rockhurst alumni has set an example for current students through EB and Co. of the impact hard work can have on the community and the immense success that comes along with it.
