Eumelanin
EUMELANIN is a Detroit-based fashion and lifestyle brand founded by scientist and designer Deirdre Roberson. Rooted in science, culture, and representation, the brand takes its name from the dominant type of melanin found in Black and Brown skin. Its mission is to celebrate beauty, identity, and empowerment through apparel and accessories designed with purpose.
For EUMELANIN, this project was more than a website migration. It was a digital transformation. Backtalk helped shift the brand to Shopify, elevate its storytelling and design, and implement an SEO strategy that positioned the brand for growth. The result is a site that doesn’t just sell apparel, but embodies the brand’s cultural narrative while building long-term sales capacity.
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The Challenge
As the brand grew, it became clear their digital presence needed to evolve. Their Squarespace site limited eCommerce functionality and didn’t fully capture the sophistication of the brand. To scale, EUMELANIN needed a stronger platform, a clearer story, and a more refined digital experience.
The Strategy
Backtalk migrated EUMELANIN to Shopify, elevating both functionality and design, while refining brand storytelling and implementing an SEO strategy. This resulted in a stronger e-commerce engine that drives visibility, builds brand equity, and converts awareness into sales.
SEO Strategy
To ensure visibility matched the new site’s quality, we developed an SEO strategy tailored to fashion and lifestyle audiences. This included keyword research, metadata optimization, and site architecture improvements to help EUMELANIN grow organically and compete in the broader apparel market.
Web Design + Development
Working closely with founder Deirdre Roberson, we evolved the brand from Squarespace to Shopify while refining copy and design. Every element — from product descriptions to about page storytelling — was sharpened for consistency and resonance. Clean layouts, bold visuals, and intentional storytelling moments gave the site both style and substance. In collaboration with Anchor DBC, we delivered a Shopify build that offers flexibility, integrations, and scalability, ensuring EUMELANIN is equipped for long-term eCommerce success.
Project Notes
This project challenged us to merge fashion-forward storytelling with technical eCommerce strategy. EUMELANIN wasn’t just asking for a site that looked good — it needed one that could scale, convert, and reflect a brand rooted in both culture and science.
We learned how powerful it can be to align storytelling with functionality. By sharpening copy, elevating visuals, and building an SEO-informed foundation, we saw firsthand how a digital platform can amplify not only sales but also cultural impact. The process reinforced that growth-ready eCommerce design is as much about identity as it is about technology.
Services
SEO Strategy
Web Design + Development
“
I highly recommend them if you're looking to take your website to the next level without losing the momentum you've already built. Their weekly updates and check-ins really helped streamline the process. As my business is growing, I needed a website that could grow with me and handle that growth—and they delivered!
Deirdre Roberson, Founder
”
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