No, Taylor Swift’s ‘87’ bracelet did not come from Travis Kelce, Missouri jeweler says
Taylor Swift sent social media abuzz Sunday by wearing the jersey number of her new boyfriend — Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce — on a beaded bracelet.
And yes, says a Missouri jewelry designer, the “87” bracelet was a gift. But not from Kelce. Randi Mahomes, mother of Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, gave it to the singer.
Misha Wilson, owner of Joplin jewelry company Erimish, told The Star she and her sister, Ericka Hamilton, made the now-viral bracelet Swift wore at the Chiefs-Chargers game at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium.
The much-photographed bracelet features gold-colored beads, and the numbers “87” are sandwiched between two red hearts.
Actually, they made five bracelets (free of charge) for Randi Mahomes to give the singer. Wilson has high hopes Swift will wear another at the next game she attends (as do her Swiftie employees).
Asked about the designs of the other pieces, Wilson hesitated.
“I really don’t wanna say,” she said. “That’s part of the fun.” But she admits they’re similar to the one Swift wore Sunday.
Erimish began designing jewelry for Randi Mahomes after her son joined the Chiefs, Wilson said, and they’ve been “friendly” with her since. Erimish has also sent bracelets to Travis Kelce’s mother, Donna Kelce, and sister-in-law, Kylie Kelce.
“We’ve always made custom bracelets for people and sent them out,” Wilson said. “We have some office sleuths who can find out addresses.”
Erimish’s other bracelet designs bear similarities to the one Swift wore Sunday: jersey numbers with team colors, beads decorated with small hearts. Coincidentally, they’re like the friendship bracelets worn and traded by Swift’s fans at concerts.
Before the New York Jets-Chiefs game at Metlife Stadium on Oct. 1, Randi Mahomes made a special request: Would the sisters like to make a few bracelets for Swift?
Of course, the pair agreed. Swift was at the game, but Randi Mahomes couldn’t make it, Wilson said.
Then last Sunday rolled around, and the sisters began seeing their bracelet in major publications: People, Vogue, Entertainment Tonight.
“We didn’t expect it to draw this much attention — one little bracelet,” Wilson said. “But it’s a friendship bracelet, and it’s Taylor Swift.”
The sisters reached out to Randi Mahomes to confirm it was their bracelet on Swift’s wrist, and she told them she had indeed delivered the jewelry.
Swift sat with Mahomes’ family in a suite at Sunday’s game, making up celebratory handshakes with the quarterback’s wife, Brittany Mahomes. Wilson said Randi Mahomes didn’t detail what the star’s reaction to the bracelet was.
But she wore it.
Before Swift and Kelce got together, the Chiefs tight end mentioned on his “New Heights” podcast in July that he’d attempted to give Swift a bracelet he made for her before her concerts at Arrowhead Stadium.
“Your number as in 87, or your phone number?” his brother, Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce, asked.
“You know which one,” the Chiefs player responded with a smirk.
In September, entertainment outlets began reporting that the pair had “linked up.” Then Swift shocked the world by attending the Chiefs-Bears game in Kansas City on Sept. 24.
Good news for fans of the “87” bracelet: Erimish is selling the exact design on her shop’s website for $21.
Sarah Fretwell, retail developer with Erimish, told The Star that the shop had sold over 1,000 in the first 24 hours.
“It’s been a whirlwind couple of days,” she said. “Kind of exciting to see what the next post, next article is going to be.”
The custom bracelet comes in gold or silver, and fans can choose which jersey number they want featured.
Erimish sells directly through the shop’s website, erimish.com, and in some Kansas City boutiques, including Love Letters KC in Liberty.
This story was originally published October 25, 2023 at 11:52 AM.