Since the late 80s, the subculture of sneakerheads – those who collect, trade and feel incredibly passionate about shoes – has loomed large in the streetwear world. But, for some reason, it has always been associated with men. The truth is, while they may have been less prominent over the years, there have always been women immersed in the sneaker scene.
As far back as 1996, shoe designer Marni Gerber was designing the signature Nike Air Swoopes for the women’s NBA star Sheryl Swoopes. More recently, Rihanna’s Fenty have dropped sought-after collabs with Puma. Now, lifelong sneakerhead and small business owner Brittney Perry is blurring the boundaries with her sleek and minimalist unisex brand PerryCo.
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According to Perry, a sneakerhead is “anyone with a love for sneakers and has a passion, regardless of the brand.” Growing up, she was heavily into basketball and spent a lot of time on the court. Unfortunately, she always had trouble finding the right shoes. Whenever she shopped for basketball shoes, the men’s section stood out way more with its abundance of styles, while the women’s section was limited and uninspiring.
“When I would go shopping for sneakers, I would always gravitate towards the men’s sneakers because they had more stuff that appealed to me. They have more options as well as there were no women’s basketball sneakers either. So we had to wear men’s sneakers,” she says, talking to VICE as part of Black+, our initiative with the National Urban League to support Black entrepreneurs.
This realization, that footwear wasn’t an inclusive space, led her to create her own unisex shoe brand. This idea was simple: She wanted to create a brand where every design stood out and, more importantly, could be worn by anyone. Founded on principles of inclusivity and simplicity, PerryCo was born and the brand officially launched in 2018. Now, it sells everything from shoes and apparel – like bomber jackets, shorts and socks – to accessories like cross body bags and sunglasses.
Perry built her brand with the idea of changing the perception of the sneaker industry – accordingly, PerryCo’s mission statement is “Breaking Barriers”. For Perry, breaking barriers means “being underestimated” and still making it through, while overcoming doubt and believing in yourself. When people wear her gear, she wants them to feel cool, comfortable and like they could do anything. We asked her what three words she would use to describe the brand. “Quality, versatility, and style,” she says.
Perry never went to fashion school – she studied marketing instead – but that didn’t stop her from designing her first shoe. To get some support, she searched Instagram for designers she liked and came across Quintin Q. Williams. A few DMs later, Perry and Williams were working together on her very first shoe design, and their collaboration was the beginning of a fruitful mentorship.
After launching the brand’s first products, Perry began to document her process of designing sneakers and posting it for all to see on social media, which soon built a growing community of fans. She was still working a normal 9 to 5 job, and used that income to fund her passion project. “I still remember the first time I got my first shoe and I held it in [my hands], I think I cried,” she says.
Perry is now making major moves in the sneaker industry, and has celebrated her fifth year as a business owner – a massive milestone for any rising entrepreneur.
She’s landed big partnerships with retail stores like Macy’s and Wolf and Badger, and her latest sneaker design, Primeira Runner, won an award for ‘unisex fashion’ at the Global Footwear Awards. PerryCo wares have even featured in an episode of Issa Rae’s hit HBO series Insecure, and the brand is getting love in major publications like Elle, Essence, Complex, Cosmopolitan and REVOLT.
Recently, Empower Global – the digital marketplace Sean “Diddy” Combs founded to give Black-owned brands the opportunity to successfully reach a larger audience – added the brand to its roster. These are massive wins, not just for the success of her brand, but also in fulfilling her vision of making sneaker culture a more inclusive and welcoming space.
Perry takes great joy in seeing the pride in younger girls who want to follow in her footsteps because they’ve now seen the blueprint she’s laid out. She takes seriously the responsibility of inspiring others, and setting an example for what she wants to see change in the industry. “Being that person I wish I had growing up, they can say ‘She did this. I can do it too’ and that makes me happy,” she says.
According to Pew Research, Black-owned businesses in the U.S. have grown significantly in recent years, but they still make up a small share of firms and revenue in the country. Brands like PerryCo are making room in an industry where there shouldn’t be any limits or boundaries. Basically, she’s shifting sneakerhead culture, one sneaker at a time.
This story includes Black-owned businesses selected as part of Black+, an initiative by VICE Media Group and The National Urban League to support Black Entrepreneurs with free marketing and mentorship opportunities.
