Tuesday, February 26, 2019 - Blended Designs, a 100% Black-owned family business of premium backpacks and travel bags, has selected Image Elevators as their PR Agency of record. Based in Jacksonville, Florida, Blended Designs is the recipient of the 2018 FedEx Small Business Grant, and is quickly becoming a go-to brand for the African American community as their unique and creative designs are helping to shape a new image of Black fashion brands in a culturally relevant and pivotal way!

CEO & co-founder Casey Kelley started Blended Designs in 2014 as a way to elevate, educate and empower people of color. In 2017, her then 8 year old son, Carter, wanted a backpack with a character that looked like him. Unable to find one, Case used the insights and analytical skills she acquired during her career in the Consumer Product Goods industry to do research, and found out less than 2% of backpack manufactured in the U.S. are created for children of color. Realizing she could fill a void and with the help of her husband Harvey, a line of backpacks that represented children of color was created using Carter’s face the likeness of children in their family.

Known for the inspiring images and creative artwork infused into each bag, the company empowers children with their “I Can Do Anything” slogan and the 1954 designed adult backpacks pay homage to the May 17, 2954 Brown vs. Board of Education headline making news! The brand’s Color Outside the Lines and Think Outside the Box designs are indicative of Blended Designs' social responsibility and awareness, as both campaigns were created to benefit the Autism Society of America.

With backpacks for all ages (Blended Designs creates bags for toddlers, youth, teens and adults), the brand has been featured on The View and in Forbes and Essence magazines! Already a celebrity favorite, Blended Designs has garnered star-power support as recent Oscar winner Regina King, legendary Hollywood actress Vivica A. Fox, Black-ish star Anthony Anderson, and TV Personality Miss J. Alexander, have all been spotted with Blended Designs backpack and bags!