20 Black-Owned Footwear Companies To Support This Holiday Season (UPDATED)

Support Black-Owned! PERIOD. Learn about and support these 19 Black-Owned footwear companies. This just a small list of the many Black-Owned brands out there to support. Help us continue to grow this list by submitting other Black-Owned footwear brands in the comment section below! #SupportBlackowned

Salone Monet

Salone Monet is the founder and creative behind the color inclusive nude shoe brand Salone Monet. A lifelong passion for shoes turned Salone away from political PR and into a shoe designer. After receiving a degree in Public Communications from American University in Washington, DC, she created digital content for the federal government and trade associations while working at a shoes and accessories boutique. There she realized the need for color equity amongst nude shoes. Salone learned shoemaking in Brooklyn NY, where she made her first pair of nude heels from scratch. Her color inclusive line has adorned the feet of Beyoncé Knowles, Gabrielle Union, Keke Palmer and a host of other influential people.

Kahmune

Kahmune [ com·mune ] is a luxury line offering an array of footwear styles designed to match the skin tones of ALL women. We have spent countless hours researching shades in order to ensure that we are able to serve the majority of complexions around the globe. At present, we offer our styles in 10 colors ranging from the fairest of skin tones to the darkest of brown. Our color palette is inspired by the diverse regions of the world. Each shade is named after the women whose skin tones have inspired us throughout this journey. Each style is named after a different woman who has played a pivotal role in our founder’s life. 

Brother Vellies

Brother Vellies was founded in 2013 with the goal of keeping traditional African design practices, and techniques alive while also creating and sustaining artisanal jobs. Now handmade artisanally across the globe, Brother Vellies creates luxury accessories that celebrate cultural histories and timeless design.

Toronto-native and New York City-transplant, Creative Director and Founder Aurora James amassed an impressive resume of fashion industry experience prior to starting Brother Vellies. Her background in fashion, journalism, art, music, photography, and horticulture joins a forever-passion for artisanship, design, and humanitarianism to create truly one-of-a-kind pieces that will remain in your wardrobe forever.

Negash Apparel and Footwear

Negash Apparel and Footwear is based out of Detroit, MI and is owned by Rocklin Negash. The name Negash is of African Amharic and Tigrinya origin. The meaning of Negash is “in line to be king” and is generally used as a boy’s name. 

Aminah Abdul Jillil

AMINAH ABDUL JILLIL is a Luxury Shoe Brand launched in August 2012. Aminah’s shoes are known for a bold yet feminine design aesthetic that has led to Global Distribution in over 50 countries including brand partnerships with premier luxury fashion retailers Harvey Nichols and Level Shoes.

Born in Anchorage, Alaska Aminah Abdul-Jillil began as a professional dancer in Los Angeles, performing with some of the biggest names in music including Britney Spears and Janet Jackson. 

In 2019, Aminah was awarded ’Accessory Designer Of The Year’ by ESSENCE Magazine. What makes Aminah Abdul-Jillil‘s designs unique is her excitement to “try something different”.

Flat Out of Heels

Flat Out of Heels are rollable ballet style flats that can be used as an emergency flat and worn for everyday use. Flat Out rollable flats are stylish, comfortable and compact. Flat Outs come rolled tightly in a disposable box with a shoe bag conveniently included with the purchase. Flat Outs are compact enough to fit in a small clutch purse.

Agnes Bethel

Pronounced Agnes (Beth – Elle), Justice & Leslie Bessent’s goal is to build a brand of diversity and inclusion. This husband and wife team nurtured Agnes Bethel to fill a void of new luxury fashion brands with family roots and life’s inspiration.

Sole Rebel

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.

ZOU XOU

Zou Xou (pronounced /’zu: ‘zu:/) aims to create a shoe wardrobe of modern essentials that are well-made, unfussy, and minimal.

The collection is a narrative of elegant and simple designs made visible through refined contours, subtle detailing, and exceptional quality.

The shoes are handcrafted by Argentinian shoemakers using age old techniques and premium leathers. Produced in small quantities, the shoes are made to last and reduce waste and energy as part of responsible manufacturing practices in the slow fashion movement.

Imbued with style and versatility, the shoes exude effortless sophistication with understated confidence. From the moment a woman leaves her house to the moment she returns, the shoes
can be worn with ease.

Shekudo

Shekudo, founded in Sydney Australia, began as a womens clothing brand -drawing on heritage, life experiences and a wearable art aesthetic.

Now under the sole creative direction of Akudo Iheakanwa, the brand relaunched into footwear and accessories moving its base across the Indian Ocean to commence production in Lagos, Nigeria. With this move, the brand hoped to shed more light on the local artisan and craftsmanship scene whilst integrating some of the age old techniques and overlooked local resources into its own contemporary aesthetic. Shekudo has gone from a team of 4 to 14 artisans and master craftsmen in just over a year. 

Chelsea Paris

In 2012, designer Theresa Ebagua’s vision for luxury footwear inspired by her African heritage was brought to life—and Chelsea Paris was born. Named for the designer’s daughters, Chelsea Paris is the embodiment of diverse creativity, global perspective and timeless luxury.  European craftsmanship is seamlessly fused with Ebagua’s African-inspired designs, colors and prints. Chelsea Paris footwear is built for conscientious free spirits who refuse to compromise.

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.

Kendall Miles Designs

Kendall Reynolds founded Kendall Miles Designs in 2015. As a third generation entrepreneur born and raised on the Southside of Chicago, Kendall Miles has always been the type to forge her own path. Starting Kendall Miles Designs (KMD) as a passion project from her college apartment at the University of Southern California, Kendall completed her degree in International Relations while simultaneously teaching herself how to design footwear. Subsequently, Kendall received formal training at the world-renowned accessories design university, Ars Sutoria in  Milan, Italy, before spending two years in NYC establishing a fashion industry network.

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.

Becki Coakley

Becki Coakley strives to not only bring to life gorgeous designs, but they also work to uplift, strengthen, and encourage the women who wear our shoes. We aim to do that not only through our design, but in every interaction we have with you.

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.

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.

Nagast

Owner of Nagast Footwear, Tarik Edmonson, is a native of The Bronx, NY. Raised in Savannah, Ga, he was a young man who was a dreamer of one day starting a business. He was Inspired to be a businessman by Reginald Lewis, the first Black Man who traded in the USA Stock exchange. Through a casual conversation with his daughter, she revealed how social media played a significant part in the success of countless industries. Tarik began to research, study, and invest in becoming a shoe designer. He chose the shoe industry because at that time, there were not many Black-owned shoe companies specializing in catering to the African- Egyptian shoe designs. In 2015, Nagast Footwear was officially in business and the rest is history.

KEEXS

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.

Fuggit

FUGGIT is an emotion, action, and ideology. The phrase FUGGIT expresses a leap of faith. FUGGIT expresses the feeling of getting up and taking action to a problem. It is more than a slogan, it’s a culture adopted by those who take chances and go against the grain to make a change. Throughout life, we often have ideas that we fear will fail. It comes a point in every person’s life where we no longer fear the outcome of failure and they begin to do. FUGGIT®️. Fear No Failure

Know any other any other Black Owned shoe companies? Leave their info in the comments and we will add them to the list when we update it.