Underdog Apparel – Bringing Jason Kelce’s Vision to Life with a Custom Shopify Experience

When NFL legend and Philadelphia Eagles icon Jason Kelce set out to relaunch Underdog Apparel, he wasn’t just starting a clothing line — he was reviving a movement rooted in resilience, authenticity, and hometown pride. His mission was clear: to create streetwear made in the USA that reflects the grit of Philadelphia and the spirit he carried throughout his career.

But a bold brand needs more than a basic online store.

Jason needed a digital experience that captured the soul of Underdog Apparel and delivered seamless, high-performance eCommerce. That’s where we came in — to build a fully custom Shopify website that embodies the brand and drives results.

(Learn more about Jason Kelce’s vision in The New York Times, Inc. Magazine, and PhillyVoice.)

The Challenge: A Brand with Heart, But No Digital Home

Underdog Apparel had a compelling story and a loyal fanbase, but no online platform to match. This wasn’t just about product sales — it was about community, values, and storytelling. The brand needed:

• A distinct, custom-built Shopify store that stood out from cookie-cutter templates
• A visually driven design that highlighted both apparel and the powerful story behind it
• A high-performance platform capable of handling traffic spikes from national media attention
• Scalability for future collections, drops, and collaborations like the one with American Giant
• A digital identity that felt true to the Underdog brand — gritty, bold, and unmistakably Philly

Our Approach: Coding the Underdog Mentality

We began by immersing ourselves in the heart of the brand — Jason’s vision, Philly’s energy, and the deeper meaning of the Underdog name. Every design and development decision was rooted in one goal: make the visitor feel the Underdog story from the moment they land on the site.

1. Brand Discovery & Immersion

Before a single line of code was written, we dove into Jason’s interviews, media coverage, and fan conversations. Understanding the emotional core of the brand helped us create a platform that felt authentic and powerful.

2. UX/UI Strategy

Our minimalist design approach focused on clarity and emotional storytelling:

• Bold Hero Images that showcased real people and real apparel
• Simple Navigation for frictionless exploration (Home, Shop, About, Contact)
• Integrated Messaging that wove Jason’s voice throughout the user journey

3. Custom Shopify Development

No templates. No shortcuts. We built the store from the ground up:

• Responsive layouts tailored for mobile, tablet, and desktop
• Optimized asset loading to keep the site lightning-fast
• Bespoke page designs that reinforced brand identity and usability

4. Built to Scale

With major traffic expected from press and social media buzz, we engineered for performance:

• Advanced Liquid coding for faster load times
• Global CDN delivery for media-heavy content
• Lazy-loading to prioritize essential assets
• Pre-rendered key pages to reduce load time and improve user experience

Key Features: Built for Growth and Loyalty

The final result was a Shopify store that looked and felt like no other:

• Striking Visual Design with a clean, bold aesthetic
• Custom Homepage & Product Pages crafted for storytelling and conversion
• Mobile-First Interface for seamless browsing on any device
• Flexible Infrastructure ready for new collections and campaigns
• SEO Optimization with structured metadata and fast performance to drive traffic

The Outcome: A Powerful Digital Rebirth

Since launch, the impact has been clear:

• Surged Media Traffic: The platform handled waves of traffic from national coverage with zero downtime
• Boosted Conversions: An intuitive UX and emotional brand connection turned visitors into loyal customers
• Future-Proofed: The site’s flexible Shopify setup sets the stage for continued growth and expansion

Conclusion: A Platform for the Movement

Underdog Apparel is more than fashion — it’s a statement. It stands for everyone who fights, rises, and pushes forward. With a carefully crafted Shopify store and a UX strategy rooted in authenticity, we helped bring Jason Kelce’s mission to the digital forefront.

The underdog spirit has always risen. Now, it rises online too.