With all the recent controversy surrounding Nike making Colin Kaepernick the “face of Nike”. Its important that Black people don’t get caught up in the hype. Nike is a multi billion dollar company that is run by an all White executive staff. Their decision to put Kaepernick as the face of their brand was a business decision. They know who buys their product and they know Black people are easy to manipulate. Now we are campaigning and promoting “Buy a pair of Nikes even if you aren’t going to wear them”.
With all that in mind, please take some time to learn about and support these 19 Black Owned footwear companies. Maybe putting our money behind these companies could be more beneficial than supporting a giant corporation that on really cares about your dollar, not you.
Fuggit – On November 2013 Michael Kirby Alvarado was murdered. A lifelong friend and teammate Michael who was referred to as “Mi primo” or my cousin. Michael was a sneaker collector, a musician, a drug dealer, a class president, a lover, a fighter, a Latin-American, an African American, an athlete, a poet, a star. A day before his first big hip hop show Michael known in the hip hop community as Mic AVE was murdered.
They took a shining light from my community, and I saw for the first time how the loss of one life can impact a community. I know what you are imagining : tears, sadness, loss, finality. But for some reason the impact his death had on me was peaceful, but why? Because I knew that day I would take everything that Michael stood for and honor it through my life. And so FUGGIT was born. (More Info)
Blue Sole Shoes Founded in February of 2007, Steve Jamison’s Blue Sole Shoes is the premiere men’s boutique for high-fashioned footwear and accessories in Philadelphia. Steve was honored with the MICAM Award for “Best Italian Foreign Buyer” in 2015, an accolade given by the leading international footwear forum, held in Milan, and promoted by the Association of Italian Footwear Manufacturers. In 2016, Jamison expanded his store and unveiled a new facade, which exposed more of his high-fashioned shoes, socks and accessories to the constant flow of Philadelphians and tourists who pass by the tiny boutique located in the heart of Philadelphia’s busiest retail corridor. Blue Sole Shoes has become the destination for fine men’s footwear in the City of Brotherly Love, with Steve Jamison’s serious emphasis on customer service on display six days a week. (More Info)
AMAK by Amiya – Tween CEO and Entertainer Aiya Steed founded her business, AMAK by Amiya footwear, in 2016 as a way of self-expression and to help combat bullying. She quickly realized that in a world filled with such negativity, that daily positive affirmations and reminders were needed. AMAK by Amiya fulfills that need. People nationwide can step into this world with positivity an confidence wearing AMAK by Amiya. (More Info)
BROTHER VELLIE’S Handcrafted shoes from South Africa, Kenya & Morocco, founded by Creative Director, Aurora James. Brooklyn-based Aurora James maintains the spirit of Africa with traditional footwear handcrafted in village workshops. Each pair is assembled from sustainable resources using heritage techniques perfected over generations. Horsehair fringe, plush furs, and carved bones beautifully embellish the desert styles. (More Info)
WANT Les Essentiels creates beautiful and beautifully made clothing, shoes and accessories crafted of supple leather and organic cotton. Founders: Byron and Dexter Peart. Luxury travel and lifestyle accessories. (More Info)
Negash Apparel and Footwear was created in 2007 in Detroit, MI. Inspired by our hometown of Detroit, the arts and life of Egyptian culture, and the ancient ancestral royal blood that still runs through our veins, the brand takes heavy influence from Egyptian symbols, Pharaohs, Gods, and Goddesses. Our logo, the Deshret crown, was worn by the Pharoahs ruling over Lower Egypt. We inspire our customers to know their history and know they are royalty.
Michael Grey Footwear – Back in 2016 I wanted to test a simple concept for making sandals. At the time I was working full time in a corporate design role, and really feeling a disconnect between the work I did daily, and using my hands in craft. I began to design a simple line of 10 sandals that I would try to sell that summer in NY (Williamsburg, Brooklyn). It was from that simple table on the street in Brooklyn that the magic began to happen. Business began to grow, and soon I was consistantly busy making sandals for my customers from open to closing time. It was at the point that I started to think of how I might really make a business of custom leather sandals. This was the beginning of the idea for the MICHAEL GREY SANDAL FACTORY. (More Info)
Aminah Abdul Jilli – Born and raised in Anchorage, Alaska Aminah began as a professional dancer in Los Angeles, performing with some of the biggest names in music including Britney Spears and Janet Jackson. She’s appeared in commercials for Pepsi, Mazda and New Balance and recently performed as lead character “Crimson” in Cirque du Soleil’s BELIEVE. In 2012, after completing her third world tour with Britney, Aminah launched her first collection. (More Info)
Flat Out of Heels – Founder & CEO Dawn Dickson created Flat Out of Heels rollable flats out of necessity. In February 2011, Dawn was attending an event in South Beach, Miami dressed to the nines in six-inch heels. After standing for hours her feet were on fire and she desperately searched for a place to purchase some affordable flats for relief…to no luck. It was at the moment that Dawn set out to create a fashionable, durable and must-have rollable flat that is chic and durable enough for everyday use and dispensable out of vending machines to make purchasing convenient…Flat Out of Heels was born. (More Info)
Sole Rebels – From the humblest of beginnings, Bethlehem Tilahun Alemu has built soleRebels into the planet’s fastest growing African footwear brand. She has created world class jobs, empowered her community and country while presenting a galvanized, dynamic face of African creativity to the global market. A trailblazer in every respect, Bethlehem has shifted the discourse on African development from one of poverty alleviation orchestrated by external actors, to one about prosperity creation driven by local Africans maximizing their talents and resources.
Eleanor Anukam Born out of necessity, developed with passion After years of searching for luxury footwear with no success; Eleanor Anukam, a size 12 herself, embarked on a journey to create an eponymous line of luxury women’s footwear to service this underserved population of women with shoe sizes over 10. “I’m designing for a fashion forward lady with broadened global influences with a thirst to disrupt fashion.” Eleanor Anukam states. I envision a style that is sexy, modern, and feminine. Supported by the finest manufacturing resources in Brazil, Eleanor sources the most exquisite leathers and hardware handcrafted by master cobblers. (More Info)
SAMANTA SHOES Every woman needs at least one great pair of shoes. Women that wear larger shoe sizes, desire current fashion trends, and are frustrated by the lack of availability. Samanta Shoes is dedicated to solving this global problem. Samanta creates life changing experiences for women who have trouble finding stylish shoes with comfort in their size. In addition to traditional sizes, Samanta offers large size women’s shoes in size 11, size 12, size 13, size 14, and wide width sizes. Samanta Shoes is a recognized luxury brand that is validated by celebrity clients, media exposure, and billion dollar retail partners.
Tucci Polo Inc serves the luxury footwear, leather goods & accessories market. Known for exclusive, top quality, handmade luxury shoes & leather messenger bags for men and women who take pride in being stylish and classy. In addition to offering a wide range of accessories, TucciPolo offers urban footwear’s and accessories designed by fashion-lovers including its own owner. To guarantee quality, products are handmade with the finest Italian leather materials found across Europe and by the best English and Italian artisans. The store also promises the best customer service and a unique shopping experience. (More Info)
Nude Soles Founded by Caryce Porter, Nude Soles are Skin toned colored shoes for women of all complexions. Nude is beyond beige and we live in a colorful world.
Lavati is a brand of luxury footwear made in Italy. Co–Founder: Davidson Petit-Frere. Davidson began his design career at twenty-two with his namesake label and has since established himself as a leading force in menswear. His influence has allowed him to outfit and design for some of the biggest names in entertainment and sports today. His designs have been praised by the industry for their combination of street style, timeless aesthetics, and the finest craftsmanship in the world. Those same principles form the foundation for his exciting debut in the luxury footwear market with LAVATI. (More Info)
Armando Cabral Founded in 2008 by Portuguese model and designer Armando Cabral, Armando Cabral was established to offer premium footwear and accessories that reflect and support modern living. Inspired by timeless design, easy elegance and luxurious comfort, the brand merges minimalism with intricate details and innovative technical construction. From loafers and derby shoes, to boots and sneakers, each style is crafted from premium leather and made by Italy’s finest artisans, creating new classics designed for every occasion. (More Info)
Billione Rikko Hilton Mutariswa, the man behind Billione Rikko, is a fashion designer from a family with a long history in the african leather trade. For generations the Mutariswas owned a tannery producing handmade leather goods that found their way all over the world. This heritage, combined with a life-long love affair with fashion, meant that from an early age Hilton dreamt of one day creating his own luxury brand. (More Info)
Sneakerscustom.com – Sneakerscustom.com designs, manufactures and distributes custom sneakers and athletic footwear for men and women. Consumers can order direct from the company website or become authorized wholesalers. (More Info)
KEEXS Footwear – The KEEXS footwear brand is an African inspired range of casual footwear that Brings out the Cool in any man or lady. It is also for people who are expressive and unapologetic for style choices. The name KEEXS originates two words KICKS which means casual footwear, sneakers, shoes with rubber related soles and KEEK which means to peep surreptitiously.
Know any other Black Owned Footwear companies? Let us know in the comments below and we will add them to the list! #SupportBlackOwned
